Story
Hi,
Firstly thank you for visiting my fundraiser, it honestly means a lot to me for you to take the time out of your day ❤️
Last year was an awful year for a lot of reasons seperate to this, but to add to it Charles Benson and Tom Clay tragically left this world. Despite the best efforts of family and close friends around them they couldn't get out of the hole they were in. The regret and guilt I feel for losing touch and not doing more to help them with our lives going seperate ways hurts. Even meeting Charles a few months before his passing for a walk and thinking he's looking well, things are on the up, but you just don't know what's happening on the inside.
I'm no longer ashamed to say that last year I became depressed, my motivation for life in general plummeted, I regularly beat myself up about my failings and where I should be in life, my drinking increased, I had huge foul mood swings and was angry with life. All of which affected my nearest and dearest which I am truly sorry for 🙏
I hit an all time low and I want to thank Tami, Penny, all my family and friends for saving me and pulling me out of a rut.
If anyone is struggling with depression right now my best piece of advice is to talk, lean on family and friends, exercise regularly to clear your mind and get sober. (5 months on the 14th March 💪 🙌).
I have decided to do running challenges because running clears my mind, relieves tension and is meditative. It also requires mental resilience to complete distance events.
The events I have entered are;
It's Murder On The Tow Path - 10k (6.2 miles) - Rodley, Leeds - 06.04.2025.
Newcastle-Gateshead Half Marathon - 13.1 miles - 04.05.2025.
The Great North Run - Half Marathon - 13.1 miles - 07.09.2025.
The Yorkshire 3 Peaks - 24 miles with 1,585 metres of ascent - September 2025.
The Yorkshire Marathon - 26.2 miles - York - 19.10.2025.
All the money raised will be split between Project 6 who have directly helped both Charles and Tom and Andy's Man Club who hold their sessions out of Project 6.
Project 6 have been delivering services for people experiencing challenges connected to drug and alcohol use and multiple disadvantage in our local communities for over 30 years.
We are a harm-reduction and recovery-focused service, working to help people reduce the risks associated with substance use and we offer highly effective, evidence-based support to people using alcohol and other drugs and their families.
https://project6.org.uk/keighley
Andy's Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, offering free to attend peer-to-peer support groups across the United Kingdom and online. We want to end the stigma surrounding men’s mental health and help men through the power of conversation.
All the events and my training progress can be followed on my Strava: