Sheffield Medics FC are joining the fundraising effort to try and help those in our community who are isolated and vulnerable during this pandemic. Our chosen charity is SToRMS, a charity set up in memory of Dan McAllister who unexpectedly took his own life in May 2015 aged 19. As young male medical students and Doctors, we understand the importance of mental health. It shocked us as a club how common suicide is in the UK, how little it is discussed and how little is done to prepare our young people to cope with life’s challenges and to avoid reaching this point. 

SToRMS’ mission is to reduce young male suicides by facilitating widespread open discussions about suicide, promoting mental well-being and emotional resilience from an early age, challenging gender stereotypes that prevent men from accessing help and highlighting the relationship between alcohol and mental well-being. Suicide is a very real issue. 

That is why we have challenged ourselves to run the equivalent distance from the most northern Premier League Stadium in the UK, St. James’ Park in Newcastle, to the most southerly ground, the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, passing all of the other Premier League grounds on the way. This is a total of 1,205 km in one week, as a club. Of course, this distance will be run under the latest lockdown guidelines. It will be a great opportunity for us as a club to help give something back to our community by giving all donations directly to SToRMS.

You can keep updated on our Instagram page as we count up the kilometres on our group Strava account. I know there are lots of fundraising activities going on, but we would be most grateful for any donation you make.