A Guernsey charity recently held a record-breaking fundraising event, where it also recorded a music video for a local singer to shine a light on their work.
Guernsey Mind held its annual Sunrise Walk of Hope on Sunday 21 June, with more than 850 people taking part to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.
This year, local singer Emily Fern performed at the Bathing Pools, welcoming walkers as they crossed the finish line.
Emily said: “When I stood at the finish line singing and watched hundreds of people walk towards the sunrise, all I could think about was how every single person there had their own reason for walking.
“Some were remembering someone they loved, some were walking beside people they love, and some may have been silently carrying battles of their own.”
She performed her own version of Jessie J’s ‘I’ll Never Know Why’ – which she recorded earlier this year.
Emily said she “chose to sing ‘I’ll Never Know Why’ because it’s a song that has come to mean so much to me.
“Like so many others, I’ve seen the heartbreak suicide leaves behind, and the song captures so many of the feelings that are often impossible to put into words,” she added.
Local videographer, Ross Yeates of SkyWave Media, filmed the walk with a drone and has released the footage with Emily’s music behind it.
Ross said: “Emily approached me earlier this year about creating a music video for a song she was recording in memory of a close friend of her family who sadly lost their life to suicide.
“As soon as I heard the song, it really struck me as a powerful and emotional piece. I felt it would work perfectly alongside Guernsey Mind’s annual Sunrise Walk of Hope, which I have covered for the past four years.
“We hope it helps raise awareness and reinforces the message that there is always someone to talk to.”
Guernsey Mind has more to be excited for as we head into 2027, having secured two spots at the London Marathon.
Jo Cottell, Chief Executive of Guernsey Mind, said: “We were so pleased to receive a charity place this year that we decided to enter the ballot again in the hope of securing a place for 2027.”
It is one of just 500 charities to secure a spot, and were also able to secure a spot for the Saturday event too.
James Woolrich was selected to run for Guernsey Mind in the Sunday event out of 41 applications.
James said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to run the London Marathon in support of Guernsey Mind. I’ve been unsuccessful in the ballot up to eight times now, but I’ve always been hesitant to apply for a charity place where the fundraising wouldn’t benefit the island. This is a fantastic opportunity to raise money for a local cause.”
Brett Bewey will run for the charity in the Saturday event. Brett has run several marathons and ultramarathons for the charity – and, as well as the London Marathon, will run four ultramarathons for the charity next year.
He said: “I’ve entered the London Marathon ballot every year for the past six years without success, so I was absolutely delighted to secure this place. As a local runner, I can’t think of anything more special than running the London Marathon for a charity that is so close to my heart.”
For those who still want to run and raise money for Guernsey Mind, they can do so in their upcoming 10k challenge, on Sunday 23 August.
Challengers will run along Guernsey’s western coast, from the Imperial Hotel to Grandes Rocques, by either running, walking or a combination of the two.
