Gordon’s fantastic four run is boost for charity
Council worker raises funds and awareness for Kickin’On
Ment a l health charity Kickin’ On has thanked a council worker who pulled on his trainers to take on a gruelling fundraiser for the group.
Gordon Corewyn, a senior benefits assessor at Renfrewshire Council, raised £ 1,160 by running four miles every four hours for the first 24 hours of the year.
And now bosses at the Renfrewshire charity thanked him for his amazing effort on January 1.
Dave McKenna said: “This was incredible generosity with the donation and it’s these kinds of donations that keep us going.
“What a challenge and a half that was.
“Well done mate, and thank you.”
Kickin’ On was founded by Linwood man Dave a year ago to help fill a gap in support services in Renfrewshire.
The group uses football and exercise as a way of breaking down potential barriers and allowing people to talk openly about their struggles.
Previously based at Mossedge Village in Linwood, the group moved to Johnstone’s new Thorn Athletic Sports Academy.
The charity runs a number of support groups, including Football Therapy and Bootcamp, aimed at addressing the growing mental health crisis and rising suicide numbers in Scotland.
It s p e e r support groups are now part of its programming and organisers are keen to find a safe place to hold meetings.
Gordon decided he wanted to help after reading about the good work the group has done in the community.
He said: “I’d heard great things about Kickin’ On and with all the impacts that the pandemic was clearly having on people’s mental health and well-being, this seemed like a great cause to raise money and awareness for.
“This past year has made me feel grateful for my physical health, but it has also had an impact on people’s mental health, with all the uncertainty and restrictions. I think people from all walks of life have been affected.”
He added: “I think spending time outdoors is really important for mental health. Scotland is a very scenic country and there are lots of great places to go for walks or runs if you fancy it. It makes you feel like you have achieved something and if you’re struggling with your mental health and that’s the only thing you achieve that day, it’s still something and you can be proud of that achievement.
“Nature brings us a new day every 24-hours, so I see that as a chance to start fresh if things are bothering me.
“You can’t change yesterday, but you can always get out there and make today count.”
A Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “We want to thank Gordon for sharing his story and we couldn’t agree more. Reconnecting with nature has been so important for many of us this past year.”