FIVE Basingstoke schoolboys are completing a ‘Marathon for Mind’ to raise money and awareness for Mental Health Awareness Week.

Aldworth School Year 10 pupils James Wood, Ethan Hockley, Charles Pierce and Max Pierce, and Andrew Aylward in Year 8 are all members of the school’s Charity Club and are collectively running 26.2 miles on treadmills after school this week to raise funds for the charity Mind, which supports people experiencing mental health difficulties.

Ethan told the Gazette: “We found the training to be ok, but different to the actual challenge because we trained outside and not on treadmills. We slowly built up our training over the last few weeks by running around the playground before school so that we were in a good position to tackle the challenge.”

Sending a message to his peers on Mental Health Awareness Week, he added: “There is always someone there for you, so open up and share your worries if you have any.”

Charity Club coordinator, Nick Lewis, added: “Charity Club decided to raise money for Mind the mental health charity and promote wellbeing throughout the Aldworth community because everyone has a really tough year with their mental health and we wanted to mark Mental Health Awareness Week by putting on a week of activities and providing wellbeing tips in school and via the school’s Facebook page.

“The students in Charity Club are amazing boys and personify what a kind and caring school Aldworth is. They have roused thousands of pounds for good causes over the last few years and are an absolute joy to work with. They took to the marathon idea with great enthusiasm and really pushed themselves.

“I am so proud of all the boys for taking on this challenge in aid of Mind.”

‘Marathon for Mind’ forms part of a week of activities at the school, including: ‘Make a Difference Monday’ where people filled charity shop bags; Time to Talk Tuesday, which saw staff and students encouraged to call friends and loved ones; Walking for Wellbeing Wednesday, which offered charity walk guides for a donation; Thoughtful Thursday, where students will thank teachers with cards and cakes; and Feel Good Friday, where a ‘positive playlist’ will be shared with the school community.

The club has so far raised £87 of its £250 goal. To make a donation, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/aldworthmindmatters1