Mike Geary, Head of City in the Community, is running 14 ultra-marathons in the same number of days across the Camino de Santiago trail.
The route starts in St Jean Pied de Port, France and finishes in Santiago de Compostela, Spain – a total of 500 miles!
Mike is completing the challenge with three of his close friends, who have all selected their own charities.
City in the Community, Murdered Abroad and Macmillan Cancer Support will all benefit from an equal share of the profits, with CITC’s support helping its mental health programme, City Thrive.
City Thrive, which is delivered in partnership with the NHS, was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project harnesses the power of football to help provide support for thousands of people aged up to 25.
A dedicated team has developed a mental health curriculum, blending specially adapted football sessions with one-to-one mentoring and group workshops on mental health awareness, to improve mental wellbeing.
Additionally, specific mental health themed football sessions will be delivered from youth clubs across Manchester, enabling participants to enjoy physical activity whilst also accessing the benefits of one-to-one mentoring and group workshops.
These sessions will continue throughout the school holidays, offering support and food provision at a time when young people are most vulnerable to suffering with their physical and mental health.
City Thrive was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Manchester, the long-term impact on children’s mental health was highlighted as a major concern amongst carers and parents.
The three friends have a fundraising total of £10,000, which you can support online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/camino-500.
