A month of marathons to raise awareness of men’s mental health struggles 

A month of marathons raising awareness for CALM

Bristol-based fundraiser, Jacob Burnham, has set himself a monumental goal of running 30 marathons in the 30 days of September to raise awareness of mental ill health and money for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), the charity leading the movement against suicide.

Following his own mental health battles and knowing men who have lost their lives to suicide, Jacob set up the campaign, which he’s titled the One Project, to show others that one simple action could help change a person’s life.

Speaking on his challenge, Jacob commented: “Charities report that suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45; a devastating statistic that highlights how much more needs to be done to support men’s mental health. I believe that you are only one step away from saving someone’s life; whether that is running one mile, having one conversation, sharing one post, or donating one pound, that one thing could help to change a person’s life.”

As well as encouraging donations for CALM, Jacob aims to raise awareness of different mental health conditions and challenges. He’s inviting anyone to walk or jog a mile with him and have a conversation about their own mental health battle, which he’ll share as videos online with information on how people can seek support.

Jacob continues: “Awareness truly is the key. We need to shift the focus from just solely donating and focus on providing one thing to one another”

Jacob will start his challenge on 1 September 2023, running and having conversations with locals around Bristol, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Somerset and other areas of the South West. You can support and follow his efforts here https://www.instagram.com/jakeburnhampt/