On the 7th of July 2024, I lost my dad, Gary Lawrence, after his long and incredibly tough battle with mental health and alcohol addiction. He was a kind, funny, deeply loved man who, like so many others, struggled quietly for years. His passing has left a huge space in our lives, and it’s something I’m still trying to come to terms with.

This year, I’ll be running the Great North Run once again in his name—this time with even more meaning. I’m doing it to honour him, to keep his memory alive, and to raise as much awareness and money as possible for a charity that is doing vital work helping people see alcohol as a conscious choice, not the default.

Addiction and mental health can often go hand in hand, and they affect not only the person struggling but everyone around them. My hope is that through this run, we can shine a light on the importance of support, understanding, and real change in how we talk about alcohol and mental health. If you feel moved to support, donate, or simply share, it would mean the world.

About Alcohol Change:

In the UK one person every hour dies as a result of alcohol. Alcohol harm, mental health problems, liver disease, one of seven forms of cancer, economic difficulties, and so much more can affect any one of us, from any walk of life.

The harm doesn't end with the individual; each of us who drinks too much is part of a family and a community who feel the effects too, whether through frequent use of emergency services, drink driving, violence or neglect.

We are Alcohol Change UK. We work for a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol.

We are not anti-alcohol; we are for alcohol change. We are for a future in which people drink as a conscious choice, not a default; where the issues which lead to alcohol problems like poverty, mental health issues, homelessness are addressed; where those of us who drink too much, and our loved ones, have access to high-quality support whenever we need it, without shame or stigma.