Rich's Auckland Marathon Madness

I will be running in the Auckland Marathon on Sunday 2nd November. Having run the Cardiff 1/2 Marathon twice it's now time to step up to the big league!

Being 6"4 doesn't exactly make me best suited for a marathon and it certainly would not be high on my list for a usual Sunday morning activity. However, the time has come and hopefully with your support I can raise a significant amount of money for a cause close to my heart.

Just over 12 years ago I lost my brother Dan and although we will forever have unanswered questions about what happened and why it happened we will always be grateful for the time that we had with him. Dan was a lively person who was great fun to be around and really did live life to the full. Both family and friends will remember the true Dan we all know, the numerous stories he accumulated and the good times spent with him.

As I will hopefully be receiving donations from people in the UK, NZ and further afield, I have decided to split the donations between two charities, one UK & one NZ based.

PAPYRUS is an organisation that helps to support the prevention of young suicide in the UK. They provide key support and advice for a range of people, aim to increase awareness and reduce stigma surrounding suicide. Their specialist telephone helpline (HOPEline UK) gives young people an outlet to speak to trained professionals in order to receive help and pratical advice.

Youthline works with young people, their families and those supporting young people and was established to ensure young people know where to get help and can access support when they need it. At the core of Youthline’s work is the development of leadership and personal skills in young people and helping those who seek assistance and those who wish to develop themselves.