An incredible group of fundraisers took on the Great South Run in aid of Solent Mind, collectively raising a fantastic £16,000 for our charity.

It was the 35^th anniversary of the popular Portsmouth event and thousands of runners braved some terrible weather to run the 10-mile route on Sunday 19 October.

More than 60 runners took on the challenge to raise money for Solent Mind, and despite the heavy rain, they all did brilliantly. The charity’s fundraising team also made sure they were there to offer tea, coffee, and goody bags (as well as a dry space to recover) once everyone crossed that finish line.

As it stands, the total amount raised is £16,000, and we are still expecting a few more donations.

Among the inspiring fundraisers was Lily Clissold from Romsey. Lily’s husband, Sam, has already fundraised for Solent Mind, and Lily said the charity means a lot to them as a family.

She said: “When Sam was going through a difficult time with depression, I didn’t know how to help. He received support from Solent Mind’s Talking Therapies service, which was a real lifeline, and we want to ensure the charity can continue helping others. Mental health affects everyone and having gone through post-partum depression after our son was born, I know how lonely it can feel.

It wasn’t just individual runners supporting Solent Mind either. Four employees from toob, one of our corporate partners, also laced up their trainers on our behalf.

Taylor Ward, one of the Portsmouth-based broadband provider runners, said: “It’s important that people experiencing mental health issues have somewhere and someone to turn to for support, and Solent Mind has a range of services available to those who need it. We want to do all we can to help, and, despite the rain, it’s been a pleasure to raise money for the charity today. Thank you to everyone who sponsored us.”

Solent Mind’s very own Trustee, Vanessa Soh, also took part, and gathered a group of 8 of her friends and family to run alongside her.

She added: “Today is about doing all we can to support Solent Mind. Many of our group here today have had their own mental health challenges in the past, as have I, and we’re all passionate about raising awareness and breaking down stigma. It was tough going today but we all did it and we’re all still smiling!”

Gaynor Jordan-Davis, Solent Mind Fundraising Manager, said: “A huge thank you to our Great South Run fundraisers, you’re all amazing! It was a very wet day but that didn’t dampen your spirits, and it was great to meet those of you who came to see us at the event. As a charity we need to raise over £800,000 this year to ensure our vital services can keep running, so we’re extremely grateful for this incredible support.”

If you would like to take on a challenge in aid of Solent Mind, please let us know at www.solentmind.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/challenge/.

Take on a challenge

Getting active does great things for our mental health, so by taking on a challenge in aid of Solent Mind, you too will feel the benefits! Find out more