Tranmere fan who battled with mental health takes on marathon challenge

Richy Aldred, 41, says he began to struggle with his mental health during the first coronavirus lockdown.

Now by doing the challenge he hopes to raise awareness around the importance of reaching out and getting help.

Richy told the Globe: “During the first lockdown I was really unfit and unhealthy.

“I had put a bit of weight on, and my mental health was becoming affected, so I thought I need to sort myself out.”

Richy wanted to give back to the community to help others struggling with their mental health

Richy, who works at a bank, began running and getting into fitness to try and combat the negative feelings.

He said: “At the start I couldn’t even run five minutes, but I built it up until around a month ago where I got to the stage where I could run a half marathon.”

Wanting to give something back Richy decided to take on his marathon challenge of running five half marathons in five days.

He said: “I have a really strong employee assistance programme at work so I was able to get counselling, guidance and therapy that a lot of people wouldn’t have the opportunity to access.

“I wanted to do something for charity and decided that I would run for mental health charity Mind but I also wanted to help out somewhere local too.”

Richy, who lives in Newcastle but is originally from Rock Ferry, says he felt inspired by the work Tranmere Community had been doing during lockdown. 

“I decided I also wanted to run for Tranmere after seeing all the work they had done during lockdown for people living with dementia and giving out food parcels to those in need.

“When I was a kid, I lived in Rock Ferry in a one parent household so I could have been one of those people that Tranmere Community might have helped so it was just about giving back really,” he said.

Richy will began his running challenge on June 9 and finish on June 13.

So far, he has managed to raise £300 out of his £500 goal for Tranmere Community.

He said: “As a huge Tranmere fan I think the work they do is amazing.

“All my family live on the Wirral so I’ve got a lot of affection for it.

“I just want to raise awareness. If people are struggling with their mental health and hear about me doing this challenge it might encourage them to open up and see someone.

“Even if its just one person who goes and gets help that will be the biggest achievement for me.

“It’s also a challenge for myself because I’ve managed to come out of the other end of my own mental health and now I’m trying to achieve this to help others.”

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