County Durham charity boss Matthew Smith is running from Chester-le-Street to Downing Street later this year - and he will be delivering a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding that suicide prevention is addressed as part of Levelling Up.
Matthew, co-founder of the If U Care Share charity based in the town, announced the plan during Mental Health Awareness Week - and he will be urging the PM to include more support for suicide prevention as part of what's been billed as one of the Government's flagship policies.
The run - which will take in almost 300 miles from County Durham to central London - will also double as a key fundraising event. Matthew is hoping to raise a massive £25,000 for the charity's coffers. Speaking to ChronicleLive, Matthew said it was a huge problem that suicide was not mentioned in the Government's Levelling Up white paper.
Read more: Mental health cash raised in memory of 'creative, caring' Durham girl after tragic death at 17
He said: "Suicide prevention needs to be part of this because the North East and North West have the highest rates of suicide - and it should be an obvious option to invest in to improve things as part of Levelling Up. We need to make sure suicide prevention and support for those bereaved by suicide sits at the heart and alongside the Levelling Up agenda - because currently it doesn't look like it does."
Matthew said it would be a mistake if the Government didn't comprehend the difference reducing suicide rates in the North could have on communities. The North East has long had worrying suicide rates - in our region, according to data from September 2021, the region had a rate of 13.3 deaths by suicide per 100,000 population. Matthew wants to see Levelling Up take this into account - and said improving suicide prevention would help regions of the North grow.
The run, which is 289 miles long and will take Matthew 11 days, will start on August 28 this year. He will be training with the support of local companies like Rum Razor barbers and Glacier Health & Fitness. The IHG hotels group - which runs Hotel Indigo in central Durham - will be putting Matthew up each night during the run. Hotel Indigo recently highlighted its partnership with If U Care Share to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention in the hospitality industry.
If U Care Share was founded by Matthew and his family following the sudden death of his brother Daniel O'Hare 17 years ago.. After formally becoming a charity, it has expanded over more than a decade and works to deliver suicide prevention support, mental health awareness, and help for those bereaved by suicide.
The team work across the UK and have had high-profile partnerships with sporting bodies including the Premier League and the FA Women's Super League.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Every suicide is a tragedy, which is why we are investing £57m in suicide prevention through the NHS Long Term Plan. We’ve launched a call for evidence to ask for views from the public, including those with lived experience of mental health conditions – this will help to inform a new 10-year plan to level up mental health and the development of a refreshed national suicide prevention plan."
The Government has also said its "call for evidence" around mental health will inform a 10-year plan for Levelling Up mental health. In 2021-2022, the DHSC said there had been £4m made available for voluntary and community sector organisations delivering suicide prevention services.
To support Matthew's fundraising, see totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/longtimerunning
