Teesside runners are preparing to don their trainers and take on a 10K run this Sunday, all in aid of local good causes.
The Asda Foundation Middlesbrough 10K, formerly the Tees Pride 10K, returns to the town on November 7 at 10am and is expected to raise tens of thousands of pounds.
This year, the 10K run has a brand new route, starting and finishing in the town centre, with the course taking participants via many local landmarks including Albert Park, the Dorman Museum, Teesside University, the Riverside Stadium, and the Transporter Bridge.
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Teessiders Claire Daff, Fiona Helyer, Ellen McNulty Biglands, and Gary Gray are all running for personal reasons.
Claire is taking on the challenge in aid of Red Balloons, the mental health charity she set up after struggling with her own mental health.
In 2017 she planned to take her own life, but since founding the charity she has supported countless others who are struggling.
Claire said: “Running is my passion, and a massive coping strategy that I use for my mental health, but unfortunately, over the last year due to injuries, illness, and life circumstances getting in the way, my running has taken a back seat, and I am really struggling without it.
“When I felt able to start running again, I wanted a race that meant something to me.
“Although I am not from around here, I definitely count myself as an adopted Teessider and the area has my heart.
“The Middlesbrough 10K is an iconic run, what better way to celebrate with the community?”
Mental health has always been a huge part of Claire’s life, but in 2017 when she could see no way out, she felt the only way to make things better was to take her own life.
Claire said: “I planned it down to the last detail, for it to look like an accident so that they would never know what their Mam had done, so life insurance would pay out.
“I was absolutely certain that the only way they could lead a happy, good life, was without me in it.
“I can now finally say, thankfully, I survived.
“It took me a long time to be thankful but now, I truly am and I believe that all the bad things in my life have actually helped me to realise what I should be doing.”
Things in her life started to change when she began blogging and volunteering for Mind.
“They encouraged me to use my experiences and how exercise helped me cope with my ill mental health to start a peer support group that I named after my blog, Red Balloons,” Claire said.
“And that is where my story of recovery really started.
“From a blog, to a small weekly meeting on a Tuesday evening in a local school, to now being a fully-fledged charity operating Walk and Talks, one-to-ones, peer support, and new projects in the pipeline, with an amazing team of over 10 staff and volunteers, it is just amazing.
“I want to use this race to publicly raise our profile and to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped me be brave enough to talk about my story, and to help me help as many people as possible to truly believe that they are worth it. “
Red Balloons combines physical activity with talking to provide a safe, non-judgemental space that people can come and be themselves in.
There is no pressure on people to disclose anything, but the team are all trained to listen and support.
“We are not trained counsellors or therapists, we are very honest about that, but what we have, money and education can't provide,” Claire said.
“That is life experience.
“All staff and volunteers have some form of experience with mental health struggles, whether it be a diagnosed condition such as bipolar, depression or anxiety, or whether it is circumstance linked with things like bereavement, grief, relationship breakdowns, redundancy, and long term physical health conditions.”
During the covid-19 pandemic, the team had to adapt the way it worked, but its service remained available throughout.
Claire and the team began a seven day a week messaging service, they created a private community group for people to talk and share, and they ran online fitness sessions, walks, and other activities.
“We were a constant form of support, often through people's darkest and loneliest times and for that, I am so incredibly proud,” Claire said.
As well as raising money for Red Balloons, donations can be made here, Claire is also raising as much awareness as possible about mental health.
“I will be offering to chat to anyone who may need support along the route, and I will be carrying 10 red balloons floating high above me, to hopefully not only raise a smile but maybe also raise some hope in those that need it,” Claire said.
A team from the alcohol projects group at Middlesbrough Council, along with other partners including Cleveland Police, Public Health and Protection, LLPC, Community Safety Partnerships, and Thirteen Group will also be hitting the streets on Sunday.
The team will be dressed in black morph suits as they take on the Asda Foundation Middlesbrough 10K to signify those that have lost their lives to suicide.
They are running to raise awareness for the Drinking at Home campaign, which promotes alcohol awareness, and this year’s theme is alcohol, mental health, and suicide.
The team is hoping to create conversations among other participants on the day.
Public health officer, within Alcohol & Licensing at Middlesbrough Council, Fiona Helyer said: “There continues to be a rise in the number of people affected by alcohol, mental health, and suicide.
“These areas of concern have been heightened during the covid-19 pandemic, the national average being 18 lives daily compared to 13 lives two years ago.
“A lot of people have been affected throughout the pandemic due to the employment impact, furlough schemes, social isolation etc. leading to depression and anxiety.
“People have drunk a lot more at home throughout the pandemic for whatever reason leading to poorer mental health.”
Fiona and the team will continue their efforts in raising awareness around the three topic areas which coincide with each other.
They want people to think about their own drinking habits and the impacts they can have, and they will continue to share information and offer advice, help, and support to help people make healthier lifestyle choices.
The alcohol projects group works to provide education around alcohol units and the harm it can do to not just individuals, but children and families too.
Fiona said: “We have carried out a lot of engagement with our youth provision across the town to educate and promote safe and responsible alcohol consumption when they come of age.
“Through experience I have learnt that these three topics affect many, families, friends, communities etc.
“Everyone you speak to has been touched in some way by one or more of these topics.
“You tend to find that alcohol plays a big part in those suffering with mental health issues and in most cases of suicide, alcohol has been a contributing factor leading up to death.
“For those that I have spoken to, I think the significance and importance of the campaign is to break the stigma of not speaking out, to start breaking down barriers, to make it easier for people to talk about their problems and to ensure that the right help and support is out there for them for when they do open up.”
Fiona hopes the campaign will lead to conversations around wellbeing to promote healthier living, including being active, learning, connectivity, taking notice, and giving.
Fiona said: “I think we can all agree by experiencing some if not all of these things throughout our lives, that these things do make you feel better and promote positive mental health.
“Alcohol is something that is socially accepted in society.
“It is also known as the biggest drug in the UK killing many each day.
“It is important that we educate so that people can make more informed choices around healthier lifestyles.”
Another runner taking on the 10K on Sunday is Ellen McNulty Biglands, on behalf of her late friend, Sharon Stokle.
Ellen is raising funds for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal team in memory of her late friend who died of ovarian cancer, the same cancer she has survived.
Ellen was diagnosed with ovarian cancer aged 40 and had surgery to remove it and underwent six months of chemotherapy.
Ellen said: “Sharon also had ovarian cancer so I was her inspiration as she often used to say ‘You survived Ellen’, if only she had too.
“I took in her nine-year-old son when she died and he lived with us for over a year until he moved in with his dad.
“I then went on to adopt two children when I was 48 and my husband was 49, siblings, Tommy who was then six and his sister Katy who was then four.
“They're now 13 and 12, so as you can see it's been quite an eventful time since my cancer diagnosis.”
She is also running to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, sometimes referred to as the ‘silent killer’ as it is often misdiagnosed and by the time it is diagnosed it’s too late for patients.
Ellen, who has now been cancer-free for 16 years, explained why she chose to run for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal team.
She said: ““That woman was just an inspiration to me, what she achieved during her cancer battle was just phenomenal and she was such a fighter and fought till the end.
“She was a trooper and I will always hold her in very high esteem.
“Her legacy in her foundation does a lot for a lot of people affected by cancer.
“I just thought she was incredible and will always admire what she did and I'm very happy to support the charity”.
Donations can be made here.
Gary Gray is another Teessider who is tackling the Middlesbrough 10K this Sunday, to raise money for his granddaughter, Evie Mae, who has Rett syndrome.
He is hoping to put funds towards specialist equipment she may need now or in the future.
Garry said: “It’s a particularly devastating syndrome with several conditions: cerebral palsy, motor neurons, epilepsy, scoliosis, seizures, dystonia, and she also has a stomach feeding tube.
“Evie Mae will never walk or talk, although one of my ambitions is to hopefully raise enough money to buy an Eyegaze so she can hopefully communicate with us all.
“The priority at the moment is a specialist car chair for Evie Mae which is just short of £3,000.”
His first run was the Ropner Park 5K in 2019 and he went on to run four 10K that same year at Kirkbymoorside, Leeds, Hull, and Middlesbough, before taking on a 10-mile run in York.
He then ran the Hull 10K with Gary Jr, Evie Mae’s dad.
Donations can be made here.
The Middlesbrough 10K event has been organised by Jane Tomlinson’s Run For All and works in partnership with Middlesbrough Council and Everyone Active.
Tristan Batley-Kyle, head of events at Run For All, said: “After a year hiatus, we are really looking forward to returning to Middlesbrough on Sunday, November 7.
“There is always a tremendous atmosphere at the Middlesbrough 10K.
“The large crowds really get behind the runners, who I’m sure really appreciate the support they get.
“Whether participants are aiming for a PB or fundraising for a chosen charity, we hope everyone taking part in the Middlesbrough 10K has a fantastic day.”
The Middlesbrough 10K has been sponsored by the Asda Foundation, Middlesbrough Moving Forward, Everyone Active, BBC Tees, Arla Protein, High5, Race Check, Marathon Photos Live, and Sports Shoes.
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