A REALITY TV personality will be running a marathon in Winchester this weekend, to raise money for the Samaritans.
Josh Patterson, best known for appearing in Made in Chelsea, is currently in the middle of his Run for 1 million challenge.
He is aiming to run 76 marathons, in 76 cities, in 76 days. If successful, Josh will set a new world record as the first person to complete a marathon in every city in the UK consecutively.
Josh will be in Winchester on April 30. He will start at Winchester Cathedral, head south and complete four loops of the River Itchen and Itchen Navigation route, passing the support vehicle at Barfield park and ride, then head back to the cathedral.
He is expected to start at 9am and finish at 3pm. It will be marathon 63 out of 76.
READ MORE: Hampshire country pub The Cricketers Inn gets permission to play music
Speaking before the challenge, Josh said: “Having struggled with mental health myself to the point I thought about ending my life, I was fortunate enough to get support from several incredible professionals, my family and friends.
“My life has changed immeasurably since that moment and I'm now in a place where I want to show others they are not alone, and things will get better. Through testing my own limits with endurance sport, I have built strength, resilience, and best of all, a community I love. Setting myself near impossible challenges has been a vital tool to attract attention and to shine a light on mental health. Whether you are personally struggling or have been impacted by mental health through a loved one, I hope that this mammoth challenge will inspire people to reach out, speak out, and know they are not alone.”
Wayne Fletcher, Samaritans branch director for Winchester, explained the work the charity does in the city.
He said: “Our local branch is at Upper High Street and we have 95 volunteers. In March, we answered around 1,400 phone calls, which is a central part of what we do. We do a lot of outreach work in the city. On Fridays, we have three volunteers outside the Buttercross who provide support and awareness to anyone who needs it.
“We also have people going into Winchester Prison and out and about in the community, providing workshops.
“More recently, we have also been giving talks at the university.”
So far, Josh has raised £108,453 of his £1,000,000 target.
To donate to the fundraiser, visit: justgiving.com/page/joshua-patterson-runfor1million.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here