Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Leeds Beckett staff and students to run Leeds 10K in memory of former student
On Sunday 10 July, staff and students from the University, including Professor Ieuan Ellis, Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, and Chris Hudson, Associate Dean of Research and Enterprise for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, will run the annual Leeds-based race to raise funds for the Dan McAllister Foundation - SToRMS (Strategies To Reduce Male Suicide).
Founded in July 2015, SToRMs is a small Sheffield-based organisation that aims to raise the awareness of male suicide through local schools and community initiatives, whilst funding supportive measures.
Speaking about the support SToRMS offers, Professor Ellis said: “Dan McAllister was an intelligent, popular, sociable, talented and apparently happy second year Psychology student here at Leeds Beckett University. It was only after his untimely death that it became clear to those who love Dan how common suicide is in the UK, how little it is discussed, and how little is done to prepare our young people to cope with life’s challenges and to avoid reaching this point.
“In a recent survey conducted by the National Union of Students, eight out of 10 students reported experiencing some form of mental health issue, with a third of respondents experiencing suicidal thoughts. This is shocking news. And whilst there are many excellent charities providing support to young men with identified mental health problems and those able to seek help in times of crisis, recent statistics have shown that: ‘only half of all people who die by suicide have ever been in contact with specialist mental health services.’ Crucially, many young men like Dan are not seen as at risk until it is too late - it is these men in particular who SToRMS aims to help.
“SToRMS’s mission is to reduce young male suicides by: facilitating widespread open discussions about suicide; promoting mental wellbeing and emotional resilience from an early age; challenging gender stereotypes that prevent men from accessing help; and highlighting the relationship between alcohol and mental wellbeing.
“SToRMS believes these initiatives are necessary to help young men weather the storms which they face in their everyday lives. It is in Dan’s memory that we must push for this change.
“Rather than pursue sponsorship individually, as a group we have set up a JustGiving page with a target of raising a minimum of £1,500. To donate please go to https://www.justgiving.com/Team-SToRMS or text DANM61 to 70070 stating the amount you wish to donate. Thank you.”
To read more about SToRMS, to get involved or to donate money go to http://stormsdmc.org/. Alternatively you can follow SToRMS on Twitter at @SToRMSdmc or Facebook @TheDanMcAllisterFoundation.