Charity in Virtual Great North Run appeal

A charity is encouraging people to step out to help raise vital funds.

Mental health charity Mind is looking for as many people as possible to run the Virtual Great North Run.

Hundreds of people take part in the Great North Run every year, raising money for the charity, and the cancellation of this year’s event is expected to see a loss of £30,000 in donations.

The Virtual Great North

Run allows people to take part in the 13.1-mile event in their own location.

The charity provides local mental health services and support, helping individuals, families and groups who are struggling to cope with mental ill health.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have continued to operate, but are seeing further referrals as people struggle to come out of lockdown and deal with new regulations, emotions, fears and stresses. But like many other organisations, its fund-raising has taken a hit during the pandemic.

A spokesperson said: “We quickly adapted our counselling, training and wellbeing work to enable people to still be supported remotely with counsellors working flat out to provide telephone and video counselling and wellbeing workers providing support via social media, zoom, online sessions and a host of wellbeing resources to provide daily support.

“We are therefore thrilled by the response of some of our fantastic fundraising supporters who have held street marathons, with neighbours, run stair mountains, socially distant cycle challenges, beard growths, hair shaves and much much more.”

Visit https://justgiving. com/campaign/tynesidemindvirtualgreatnorthrun