Francine Alemann, a Business Management Consultant from Tooting will take on the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon for children’s mental health charity Place2Be, as part of Heads Together.
Spearheaded by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Heads Together is the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon charity of the year and aims to change the national conversation on mental health from one of stigma and fear to one of support.
Francine decided to take on the mammoth running challenge and raise money for Heads Together partner charity Place2Be because she believes that addressing mental health issues in childhood will help more people to live healthier and easier lives later on. Francine feels passionately that mental health should be as much of a priority as physical health.
Place2Be, one of Heads Together’s eight charity partners, is a leading children's mental health charity that provides in-school counselling support and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools.
Heads Together’s inspirational partner charities have achieved great progress in tackling stigma, raising awareness, and providing vital help for people with mental health problems. By making this the mental health marathon, their Royal Highnesses want to ensure that people feel comfortable with their everyday mental wellbeing, feel able to support their friends and families through difficult times, and that fear no longer prevents people talking or getting the help they need.
Francine said: “I have been on a school visit to see some of the work Place2Be is doing and was very inspired. Hearing the stories from teachers, children, parents and counsellors was incredibly touching and reinforced just how amazing the work is.
“I have been affected by poor mental health, both personally and through those I care about, so I love the message that Heads Together is sending out to the UK”
Francine will join more than 30,000 other runners of all ages and backgrounds from across the UK who will be pounding the streets of London on April 23rd with Heads Together to make it the mental health marathon. Francine has been training hard for the last few months in preparation, including fitting in long runs around her busy schedule and at the weekend.
Anyone wanting to support Francine can do so by donating to her Virgin Money Giving page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/FrancineAlemann
For more information on Heads Together, please visit www.headstogether.org.uk
Article supplied by Alice Harper
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