From the age of two, Alex’s childhood was incredibly difficult. Growing up, he was regularly bullied and violently assaulted on more than one occasion. He found it difficult to make friends, becoming increasingly isolated, and developing serious mental health problems. By the age of 12, Alex was self-harming. As a teenager he suffered a devastating mental breakdown which saw him hospitalised for six months. It was at this point, as a young man of 18, that Alex became homeless. Initially his home was a staircase in a block of flats, but after a few months he was forced to camp out in the woods.

Fortunately, Alex was then able to move into Salford Foyer, a hostel in Manchester that supports homeless young people. He was diagnosed with multiple mental health issues, and as he continued to suffer with his mental health, his self-harming worsened, ultimately resulting in Alex attempting suicide several times.

In December 2016, The Running Charity began working at the hostel where Alex was staying and invited him to join a programme of active wellbeing. Alex became a dedicated member of the group and thoroughly benefited from the programme and the positive focus that it offered. He now supports new members to find their own love of running, welcomes volunteers and is even keen to become a running coach. His self-harming has stopped and he has even moved into his own private accommodation.

Alex is a dedicated young man who has overcome so much already and is now running the Virgin Money London Marathon 2018, for The Running Charity. He wishes to support other young people who may be experiencing the devastation of homelessness or who may be affected by mental health problems. It will be his first Marathon and he is aiming for a time of 3:15.

“I was struggling to find purpose in life and before I met TRC I was self harming a lot but now I have been clear for 7 months. For me, running is life, its survival and I’m surviving”

If you enjoyed this article or wish to support our cause, please consider donating to The Running Charity

simply text IRUN42 plus the amount you wish to donate to 70070

for e.g. “IRUN42 £4” to 70070

or to volunteer, email ‘info@therunningcharity.org’