RunningSpace - Beating Suicide

Aim

RunningSpace runs with people affected by suicide to help them find new purpose and meaning in life.

‘I am a suicide survivor.’

‘I struggled with suicidal thoughts following a lifetime of self-harm and eventually I tried to take my own life. I founded RunningSpace four years ago to teach people to run to beat suicide, to protect our communities from suicide and to support individuals back to life in all its fullness.’ (Jacqueline Youldon, Founder and CEO of RunningSpace.)

RunningSpace runs with people affected by suicide to help them find new purpose and meaning in life by delivering safeTALK Suicide Alertness training, Walk2Run programmes, and journeys of faith. 

C19 PROJECT UPDATE 

The world has changed since we originally set up this Crowdfunding project, but the vision of RunningSpace remains the same:-

"We want to see every life lived in all its fullness and not one be lost to suicide. "

How will we achieve this?

• By educating and training communities to become able, appropriate and available to those suffering with thoughts of suicide.
• By pioneering a worldwide movement of runners who will run, pray, and raise awareness for those affected by suicide. 
• By working with communities to build prevention and recovery programmes which include Walk2Run groups,  building relationship connections,  developing links with clinicians, facilitating volunteering, and job creation for example.

The great news is that we can still get out and run safely within government guidelines, and it's a great way to support your own mental health. We are CrowdRunning:- collectively adding up our mileage to get as far as we can together during this time of lockdown. To join in, email me on [email protected], txt 07717 364237 or post to RunningSpace on facebook. 

Do also read the latest project post 06/04/2020 which addresses isolation in this current situation and how we can support each other. 

Finally, thank you so much to all of you who have pledged your support in these unusual days. Keep on walking and running.

Jacqueline has won the BBC South East Unsung Hero award as part of the national BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. To understand the impact of RunningSpace, please watch the short BBC South East Today piece as aired on 4th December 2019

In the last couple of months we have received enquiries to set up RunningSpace in different locations such as Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury, Crowborough, Ballymoney in NI, Brighton and Battle and Ashburnham. We would love to respond positively to these enquiries to expand RunningSpace Beating Suicide.

£5700 would pay 

• to deliver 3 Walk2Run sessions per week for a year in a new location. Government guidelines recommend exercise 3 times per week, outside, in a group for someone struggling with depression.
• for 2 qualified coaches per session. Our 13 coaches are all UK Athletics qualified and also safeTALK trained (see below). Each session has 2 coaches to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our often vulnerable participants. 
• post session tea/coffee/hot chocolate at a local venue. We have found this essential for relationship building and support which we know to be one of the main protectors against suicide. 
• 1 safeTALK Suicide Alertness For Everyone training which would be open to the wider community. safeTALK is a World Health Organisation approved training that helps us identify people who might be having thoughts of suicide and direct them to further help.
  
  Many thanks for your ongoing support, and if you have any questions I can help you with, please do contact me either by email at [email protected], or by phone on 07717 364237.
  
  Come and run with us, it might just change your life.
   

This project successfully funded on 22nd April 2020