Success Stories
Alex’s Story
Alex’s childhood was incredibly difficult. He was regularly bullied and violently assaulted on more than one occasion. Consequently, he found it difficult to make friends, became increasingly isolated and developed severe mental health problems.
By the time he was 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 – a young man of 18 – that Alex became homeless. Initially, he lived on a staircase in a block of flats, but he was forced to camp out in the woods after a few months.
He then moved into Salford Foyer, a hostel in Manchester that supports homeless young people. Here, he was diagnosed with multiple mental health issues, and his self-harming worsened, resulting in several suicide attempts.
In December 2016, The Running Charity began working at the hostel where Alex was staying. We invited him to join a programme of active wellbeing, and he soon became a dedicated member of the group. He thoroughly benefited from the programme and the positive focus it offered. He now supports new members to find their own love of running, and he is keen to become a running coach. Crucially, his self-harming has stopped, and he has moved into his own private accommodation.
In April 2018, Alex was featured on the BBC’s ‘Get Inspired’ coverage for running the London Marathon – his first – which he completed in the fantastic time of 3:10:39.
