Ware Marathon 2024

Samaritans were the National Charity associated with the marathon this year and as a branch we made sure to support as well as raising awareness in our local community.

The branch were involved in the light up campaign and were able to get Herts County Hall, St Mary’s Church, Ware and Ware Priory lit up green on the marathon weekend.

Joe Fenton, the son of our former Branch Director, ran the Manchester marathon for us raising over £1,200 with a fabulous time of 3 hours and 11 minutes.

Ware branch did its own “marathon” in the community, with participants being required to walk or run 26 miles over 26 days. Many volunteers and members of the public signed up with the Co-Directors and other volunteers doing Park runs on the 4 Saturdays in the 26 days. We raised over £2,000 for the branch.

And our amazing Outreach DD, Jan, did her own slant on our marathon. Her campaign “Walk a mile in my shoes” required her to walk for 26 days in 26 different pairs of shoes with different walking companions. Grant Shapps, the defence minister and local MP for Welwyn and Hatfield (and his security teams!) walked with her, Sir Charles Walker, local MP for Broxbourne and many other friends, family and contacts took 20 minutes out of their day to walk with Jan. She wanted to raise awareness that no one knows what it is like to walk in someone else’s shoes and as Samaritans we just listen, we don’t offer advice and we don’t judge. Jan had some fabulous, open conversations and has decided to carry on for 26 weeks, walking once a week with someone different. We think she just wants some new shoes!

Thank you so much for your interest in our organisation. Our vision is that fewer people die by suicide. We can only do that with your support.