Inspirational Island Roads foreman Jack Faulds is embarking on an incredible endurance challenge in the New Year to raise money and awareness for a mental health charity.
Throughout January, Jack, aged 33 from Newport, is planning to run a full marathon distance every other day in aid of CALM – the Campaign Against Living Miserably – who work to help prevent suicide.
He will be fitting his 16 marathons around his full-time job at Island Roads – which will be providing some match-funding in recognition of his efforts.
Driving Jack on throughout the challenge will be the memory of friends who have taken their own life and his determination to raise awareness around mental health and suicide.
It was shortly after the death of one good friend in 2022, that he completed his first endurance event, the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge.
In the same year he also signed up to gain his TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Awareness of Mental Health Problems (a distance learning programme with the Isle of Wight College), hoping to understand more about mental health issues and find out some useful info to pass on to others.
Faulds: I just wanted to keep going
Jack said,
“Instead of using emotions and anger negatively through perhaps drinking and going out, I decided to do a charity challenge.
“I signed up to the IW Ultra Challenge which is 106km run over two days.
“I ran that to raise money and awareness for the mental health charity Mind and after completed that successfully, I just wanted to keep going.”
This year alone, Jack has completed the London Marathon and won the Isle of Wight Ultra Challenge (109km in 11 hours and 26 minutes), finished third in the Race to the King Ultra 100km race, and completed his longest ever challenge when he came eighth in the North Downs Way Challenge when he covered a distance of 103 miles in just 19 hours and 53 minutes.
Faulds: Now’s the right time to give back to charities that helped me
Jack said,
“Over the last year I’ve been running solely for my own mental health and I’ve not been doing too bad, but I feel like now’s the right time to give back to charities that helped me get to where I am right now.
“This is not about me, it’s about raising awareness of suicide in general and the charity CALM in particular, and remembering those we have lost to suicide. It’s important to spread the message that if people ever feel like they need somewhere to turn then there are people and charities out there that do care.”
Ashman: We are all really proud of Jack
Island Roads Service Director Steve Ashman said,
“We are all really proud of Jack and wish him all the best in what is an incredibly ambitious challenge.
“Mental health is an issue of great concern within the construction industry so we are all behind him all the way.”
You can contribute to Jack’s fundraising and follow his progress on his Just Giving Page.
For more about CALM visit the website.
Jack has sponsorship from Good Skills Training IW and Hampshire, which provides him with essential kit and equipment needed for his fundraising challenges.
News shared by Gavin behalf of Island Roads. Ed
