MAN v FAT Maidenhead member Ben George will probably be hitting the streets quickly as a part of the Baton of Hope UK Tour 25.
Ben, who has been part of the Maidenhead membership since 2023 has been chosen to be a Baton Bearer for the Baton of Hope UK Tour 25, which is ready to be the largest suicide prevention initiative that the UK has ever seen.
The Baton of Hope UK are a part of a rising motion aspiring to a zero-suicide society and can merely not tolerate greater than 6,000 suicide deaths per yr within the UK (as presently) when most suicides are preventable.
They’ve a imaginative and prescient of a society the place suicide and suicide prevention are brazenly and extensively mentioned, encourage hope by means of motion, the place individuals are suitably supported, and the place everybody performs their half in realising this imaginative and prescient.
In 2025, The Baton of Hope will probably be touring to twenty places throughout the UK, being handed from individual to individual, all affected by suicide in a technique or one other.
Ben instructed us: “I will probably be a kind of individuals carrying the Baton, and I will probably be doing so in Basingstoke on the twenty fifth of September. To ensure that the charity to proceed its very important work in supporting suicide prevention, they should elevate cash and as a Baton Bearer, I’m elevating funds to assist their mission.
“I got here throughout the Baton of Hope in a information article which stated they have been recruiting for volunteers to turn out to be baton bearers for the 2025 tour over numerous elements of the nation. I learn their web page and what they have been about and due to my very own experiences I immediately needed to be concerned.
“I imagine that each member of our neighborhood ought to have entry to the appropriate assist on the proper time, suicide is the largest killer of males beneath 50 and ladies beneath 35. Along with your assist and assist, we will break the stigma round suicide and save extra lives.”
As Ben mentions, his curiosity within the Baton of Hope Tour comes from a really private perspective and he’s eager to get out and do his bit in Basingstoke.
He added: “My connection to the charity is extremely private. The charity is aiming to attain a suicide free society and to encourage individuals to speak and rid free individuals from the stigma of speaking about suicide.
“All through my grownup life I’ve struggled my psychological well being to various levels. These struggles have sadly led me to aim to finish my very own life on two events. Throughout these occasions I grew to become more and more withdrawn from the family members in my life, and crucially I ended speaking about my ideas and the way I used to be feeling. Which is why it’s so essential we encourage individuals to speak about suicide.
“The ache that I felt at the moment and the ache I dropped at these round me isn’t one thing I ever want for anyone to must undergo. That is why I’m so proud to be part of the Baton of Hope Tour 2025.”
Ben will tackle his leg of the tour with the complete backing of his MAN v FAT Maidenhead membership mates, who’ve been very supportive throughout his two yr stint with the membership.
And he’s massively appreciative of the fellows he shares his weekly classes with.
He stated: “Being part of MAN v FAT has been an enormous assist for my psychological well being. I’ve at all times struggled with self esteem, self perception and self doubt and never as soon as at MAN v FAT have I felt judged, ridiculed or criticised.
“I’ve had nothing however assist from day one, beginning with the Ciaran the coach at first weigh in on the day of becoming a member of proper all the way down to the gamers, everyone has been nice and I can not thank them sufficient.
“If ever there’s a dangerous week on the scales or the pitch there may be at all times an encouraging phrase from a number of individuals about the way it doesn’t matter and they’re at all times fast to level out the nice you probably did, they by no means deal with the dangerous.
“Extra importantly at these occasions when the psychological well being struggles are there that’s when it actually counts. The messages of assist are nonetheless there, even the occasional non-public message to supply a chat away from the group if it’s wanted to supply some additional assist. It’s truthfully implausible and becoming a member of MAN v FAT is without doubt one of the greatest issues I’ve ever carried out.”
You possibly can donate to Ben’s fundraising right here – we want him nicely along with his efforts!