Hi! – Thank you for taking the time to visit my page – it means a lot! I want to share why I have chosen to run a marathon for the Samaritans (content warning - discusses suicide).

Last year, someone extremely close to me was struggling to cope and could no longer see a way out. At 4am one night, they called me standing on top of a bridge, ready to say goodbye because they could not possibly imagine going on. It was both absolutely devastating and terrifying, as I knew there was limited time for my words or actions to make a difference. Luckily, I was able to reach emergency services whilst staying on the phone and their help came just on time - but unfortunately, help isn't on time for everyone. Earlier this year, an old friend tragically took their own life and it left all those who cared for them, including those who had not been in close contact for years, shocked and heartbroken. This is why the work of the Samaritans is so incredibly important. Being able to provide a human connection to those alone and struggling, can make a life-saving difference and often, it can be an important step towards recovery. Suicide sadly continues to be the main cause of death for men under 45 years old in the UK. Every 90 minutes, someone in the UK or Ireland takes their own life, and every 6 seconds, somebody contacts the Samaritans for help.

Samaritans is available 24/7, 365 days a year, by phone, email, or online chat at no cost to provide a listening ear to anyone and everyone who may need it. Additionally, they are involved in important outreach work and provide learning resources on how to support yourself or someone else who is not okay. I have found this extremely helpful in being able to imagine what someone who is struggling may be feeling, and how to initiate conversations about the wellbeing of someone I'm worried about. I can honestly say that these resources helped me know what to do when I was on the phone that night.

This is why I wanted to support the Samaritans by running the London Marathon. Running 42 kilometres will definitely be a struggle for me, but it would not compare to the struggle that those with poor mental health face in their heads every day.

Thank you for taking the time to read this page, I really do appreciate it. If you are able to, I would be incredibly grateful for any donations, no matter how small, as Samaritans rely entirely on the support of donors to do their life saving work.

• £5 covers the cost of the Samaritans to answer a call for help.
• £42 could help keep Samaritans’ helpline open for 5 minutes, giving more people someone to turn to.
• £96 could cover the cost of ongoing training and development for an existing volunteer for a year.
• £200 covers the cost for a new volunteer to build the skills they need to answer a call for help.

If you are interested in reading a bit more about the work of the Samaritans please see their most recent Impact Report: Samaritans Impact Report 2020/21

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.