Suicide prevention charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) have created a challenge in May to complete five kilometres in any form every day to raise money for the charity.
The five kilometres can be completed in any form, from running, cycling or swimming, to daily dog walks.
Head of fundraising for CALM, James Baker, said: “In comparison to runs such as the London Marathon, which is really quite hard to complete, our five kilometre challenge is much more accessible for more people to get involved in and be able to weave into their daily lives in weird and wonderful ways.
“Suicide prevention is not just about the crisis intervention, it is also about helping people manage their day to day mental wellbeing by either sharing coping techniques, or teaching life saving skills through our CALM care kit.”
With the fundraising goal being £100,000, participants from around the UK are sharing their progress on a Facebook group set up by CALM and trying to raise donations.
One participant from Nottingham, Tom Sokolyk, said: “To make sure I was ready for May, I made sure I ran 5k every day in April too.
“I’ve been a supporter of CALM for years; after experiencing my own mental health challenges and knowing many people close to me who have struggled with their mental health, I knew I had to take part.”
Despite an unexpected knee injury, Tom has continued to complete his five kilometres every day and hopes to keep it up for the rest of the month.
Daniel Richards from South Wales has been completing the challenge through a combination of cycling and walking.
He said: “After struggling with suicidal thoughts at the beginning of this year, as well as recovering from addiction, I thought getting involved with the challenge for CALM would be a great way to spread awareness.
“Whats most important to me is sharing the message that there is always help from charities like this one.”
For some members, it is not their first time raising money for CALM.
Brett Scott said: “After losing a close friend I ran for CALM, completing the Doncaster 10k in his memory, with plans to do the same again this year.
“With the suicide rate in males being so high I wanted to raise awareness for the charity.”
CALM was previously known as a male specific suicide prevention charity which some people still recognise it as.
However James has emphasised that its services are now offered to anyone who needs it regardless of their gender.
Visit CALM to find out more about the challenge.
