A Uni of Lincoln student is running 60 miles in 30 days to raise money for Mind

A psychology student at the University of Lincoln is taking part in the ‘Move for Mind’ challenge and is running 60 miles in 30 days to raise money for the charity.

Georgia lost a friend at university to suicide over the summer due to the coronavirus pandemic, and so she decided to take part in the challenge to help people get the support and help they need if they are struggling.

The third year decided to take part in the challenge because she thought it was a good way to promote looking after your mental health, “especially during the pandemic.”

She said: “Being in my final year and dealing with the pandemic has been hard and you have to juggle a lot of different things.

“I’ve always been really passionate about mental health and raising awareness and reducing the stigma behind it. I wanted to raise money for Mind which can provide mental health support to those who have been struggling and to help deal with the demand for calls.

“I lost my friend to suicide during this pandemic and so I wanted to do something to remember her by and to make sure those who need mental health support can get it when they need it.

“I started the challenge on January 1st and I have done it nearly every day with a few days off for uni work but the goal is 6o miles overall.”

Georgia told The Lincoln Tab: “Sometimes my housemate will join me on the walks so we can get out of the house for a little bit but sometimes I will call people from home who are shielding or my friends.”

Losing her friend over the summer was particularly difficult, she said: “It was really hard losing my friend to suicide. People’s mental health has suffered during this pandemic but it really hits home when it affects one of your friends or someone you know.

“It doesn’t sink in for a while and then you go to message them and remember. Obviously, it’s difficult to support people at the moment as you can’t go and give them a hug but a message can make all the difference.

“I wanted to do something to remember her by and make sure that if people were in the same situation struggling with their mental health they had somewhere to get support from someone who is trained.”

If you or someone you know has been affected by this story, please speak to someone or contact Samaritans on 116 123 at any time. You can also contact Anxiety UK on 03444 775 774, Mind on 0300 123 3393, and Calm (Campaign against living miserably, for men aged 15 to 35) on 0800 58 58 58.

You matter.

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