BRISTOL DAD EMBARKS ON 630-MILE RUN AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS MIDDLE SON

Bristol Dad embarks on 630-mile run as a tribute to his middle son, lost age 17 and raise money for mental health support and awareness in boys and young men.

Starting on Saturday 2^nd November, Tom Keys-Toyer, a 51-year-old, from Backwell, Bristol, is embarking on a gruelling 630-mile running challenge along the South West Coastal Path (SWCP) as a tribute to his middle son, Sam, who was tragically lost in 2020, aged just 17.

Tom’s challenge will raise awareness and funds for mental health support in boys and young men. Tom will be raising money for  ‘Boys in Mind’, a Bath based Charity, who work to challenge the stigma around mental health in boys and young men.  The challenge will see Tom run approximately 26 miles a day, six days a week for 4 weeks.

Tom’s journey will begin in Minehead, Somerset, running the coastline of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall to conclude in Poole, Dorset. The 4-week challenge is a testament to Tom’s determination and resilience, as well as his unwavering commitment to honouring Sam’s memory and making a positive impact on the lives of young men facing similar struggles.

“Running the 630 miles of SWCP is a tribute from me to Sam,” Tom shared. “Whilst Sam is no longer with us, we will always remember how caring and thoughtful he was and his uncanny knack of recognizing when someone was struggling or just needed help. He always wanted to go out of his way to give his support or just a silent nod ‘I’m here if you need me.’ Boys in Mind is a charity that Sam would have got right behind if he was still with us. I can do that for him…”

“It is so important to tackle mental health head on and to pro-actively give youngsters the skills to recognize when they are feeling down, being prepared to show some vulnerability and to ask for help and knowing how to talk about how they are feeling,” Tom added. “This is what Boys in Mind does and I want to raise as much as I can so that they can carry on with their essential work.”

Tom has chosen Boys in Mind, a Bath-based charity dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and support for boys and young men, as the beneficiary of his fundraising efforts. He has set a target of £10,000 to be raised through the challenge.

Tom’s journey can be followed on Instagram @running630forsam.

Donations can be made at https://app.goodhub.com/swcp

10% of funds raised will go to the South West Coastal Path (SWCP) to help pay for the upkeep and maintenance of some of Great Britian’s most beautiful coastline. https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk

About Boys in Mind

Boys in Mind is a charity dedicated to promoting mental health awareness and support for young men aged 10-25. They offer a range of services, including counselling, mentoring, and group work. For more information, please visit www.boysinmind.co.uk

Boys in Mind works in partnership with children, young people and professionals in a range of settings to promote good mental health and prevent suicide, particularly among boys and young men. Our work is guided by our 3 P’s – Prevent, Promote and Participate

• Prevent  – Preventing suicide
• Promote  – Promoting positive mental health and positive images of boys and men
• Participate  – Encouraging active participation of children and young people