Oldbury Academy Headteacher Phil Shackleton begins his yearlong charity fundraising events.

Oldbury Academy Headteacher, Phil Shackleton is embarking on a yearlong fundraising campaign to raise funds and raise awareness to help prevent suicide in young people. He has collaborated with the national charity PAPYRUS ‘Prevention of Young Suicide’ and will be completing a number of physical challenges across the academic year. The events begin on the 25^th September 2022 with a half ironman distance triathlon. This comprises of a 1.2 mile open water swim, a 56-mile bike ride followed by a 13.1 mile half marathon.

https://www.outlawtriathlon.com/outlaw-x/overview/

A list of events can be found below and each will be confirmed closer to the event date. Students and staff at Oldbury Academy will have the opportunity to get involved, regardless of your fitness levels.

Every academic year 200 students in the UK are lost to suicide. Suicide is a tragedy for those that take their own life and for their family, friends. Every day suicidal thoughts and feelings affect thousands of people in the UK.

It is vital that everyone works together to support those who present
suicidal behaviours and help to raise awareness that suicide can be prevented.

PAPYRUS - Prevention of Young Suicide (https://www.papyrus-uk.org/) is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

Suicide thoughts can affect anyone and can be for all sorts of reasons. Knowing there are support services that help those who are struggling with thoughts of suicide is massively important because this shows they are not alone and lives can be saved.

Raising community awareness and breaking down the taboo is
important to help us make progress in preventing suicide.

PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a group of bereaved parents,
who had each lost children to suicide. The founding parents shared core beliefs that suicide is preventable, and that those of us with lived experience of suicide have a valuable and unique contribution to make to the wider conversation around suicide.

Since then, PAPYRUS has grown into a UK-wide charity with offices in North West England, South West England, West Midlands, London, Northern Ireland, North Wales, South Wales, and Scotland.

Today, they are a leading youth suicide prevention charity in the UK. Their suicide prevention helpline, HOPELINEUK, is staffed by trained suicide prevention advisers, who work with young people – and anybody concerned for a young person – to help keep them safe from suicide.

HOPELINEUK is a free and confidential call, text and email service, which is available from 9am to midnight, every day of the year.

By donating to PAPYRUS you are:

• Helping them fund their helpline, HOPELINEUK, which provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone, worried about a young person

• Helping to equip young people and their communities with the skills to recognise and respond to suicidal behaviour through our resources and training.

• Help make a difference to many young lives and concerned
  others

• Support, Equip and Influence current and future generations to create a more suicide safer community

They appreciate every donation no matter how small or big it
may be. By donating, you really are helping to save a life!

Thank you

Phil Shackleton

Headteacher

Oldbury Academy

The events that Phil Shackleton is planning to complete throughout the academic year:

25th September 2022 - Outlaw X half Ironman triathlon (70.3 miles)

23^rd October 2022 - Cannock Chase Trial Half Marathon (13 miles)

November 2022 – Oldbury Academy 5km run

March 2023 - Stafford half marathon (13 miles)

7th May Fred Whitton challenge (112 miles) (Ballot entry)

21 May 2023 - Outlaw half triathlon (70.3 miles)

One last event to complete over the summer holidays TBC

He will complete around an extra 3,300 miles of training, completing around 4,000 miles in total this academic year.