A dedicated Barry runner, whose family and friends have been rocked by suicide, is racing around the pubs to raise vital funds for the support centre our town so desperately needs
Nina Lawrence, whose childhood friend Lucinda and nephew Chae, both took their own lives, will visit as many pubs as possible on Saturday September 1st in the latest Gobaith (Barri) event.
In a bid to help raise much-needed cash for the Suicide Support Centre, our resident runner will start at the Billy at 6pm and then visit the Witchell, the Tynny, the West End, Finnegans, Academy, Spoons, the Baruc – before finishing for a night of fun and friendship in ‘The Buck.’
Please pop along to show your support and/or please give generously if you are in any of the venues when Nina and the Team (Rachel, Lisa and Anna) shake the obligatory charity bucket your way.
Support worker Nina said: “I am doing this Pub Run in memory of Chae, Lucinda plus all those who have lost their lives to mental health. And also for all those who are struggling now and who desperately need a place to go.
“Please join us, to cheer me along the route, to throw some coins in the bucket when I visit, and/or for a beer and a band in the Buck afterwards. Thank you to Angie and Genine for kindly hosting the evening, and to all the pubs who have happily let me pop in to collect en route.”
Barry resident Nina, who is married to Rob and has two children Anna and Elinor, is keen to continually raise money to help those affected by mental health and who need a safe haven in our town. The keen runner will follow the Pub Run with the Cardiff Half Marathon in October. All proceeds will go to Gobaith (Barri).
Find out more about Nina’s Fun Run here.
Gobaith (Barri), which was set up by Nina’s sister Rachel following the death of her son Chae and then seven young man to suicide in Barry since April 2015, needs to hit a target of £85,000 to start the Suicide Support Centre.
She has already teamed up with the well-established Jacob Abraham Foundation (JAF) which has a support centre in Cardiff. The registered charity, soon to be renamed Suicide Support Cymru, was established by Jacob’s mother Nicola after the 24 year- old killed himself in October 2015.
Working together, Rachel hopes to replicate JAF’s work to: help prevent suicide through direct intervention with vulnerable people; raise awareness on mental health and/or suicide issues; promote positive mental health, and support people bereaved through suicide, in Barry and the Vale.
Rachel said; “Over the next year we intend to fill in numerous grant applications, set up events, hold coffee mornings and pub quizzes, run marathons, climb mountains and jump out of planes. We ask you to sponsor and donate throughout the year. But mostly we ask for your support.
We were too late for our children. Please support us to support the young adults of our community. We intend to do all that we can to help save lives and ensure another family doesn’t have to endure the devastation that losing a loved one to suicide causes. Thank you.”
#itsoknottook is all about having the courage to stand up and say ‘enough is enough, the strength to keep fighting for our vital Suicide Support Centre, the confidence to celebrate the successes all along the way, and that faith that our community will make a difference for the young people in our town.
Find out how you can help us to help those bereaved through suicide here:
To make a donation, visit Gobaith (Barri) JPage.
To organise a fund-raising event contact the Gobaith (Barri) facebook page.
To find out more about the Jacob Abraham Foundation, see their website.
To understand more about mental health, check out the MHA page.
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
Sue Vincent-Jones, writing as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
As a community activist, Sue was an integral part of the Gobaith Campaign for a much-needed Barry Suicide Support Centre. She was Media Lead, and Communications Advisor, for the Group who have now merged with CUBE.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.