Sheffield mum's marathon bid in memory of beloved brother
A Sheffield mum is raising funds for a city suicide awareness charity when she takes part in the the London Marathon later this month.
A Sheffield mum is raising funds for a city suicide awareness charity when she runs the London Marathon later this month.
University of Sheffield teacher, Polly Rippon, is running to raise funds for the Baton of Hope charity, in memory of her brother Edd.
The Baton of Hope was set up by former Sky News reporter Mike McCarthy, from Greenhill, after he lost his own son, Ross, to suicide in 2021.
Polly, a former Sheffield Star journalist, said: “Mike and I knew each other from the days when I was a reporter at The Star and he worked at Sky News.
“It’s sad that our paths have crossed again in such tragic circumstances but Mike set up the Baton of Hope which is doing amazing work in suicide prevention all over the UK and I wanted to do something to help.”
Polly, 52, from Millhouses, is a keen runner and married mum-of-one.She teaches in the university’s journalism department.
She said: “The training has been going well but it’s ten years since I ran my last marathon, so I am a lot older and I am feeling it.
“I am really looking forward to the day, I know it will be an amazing experience because I’ve done London before. I know that the crowds and running for such an important cause will really help me when it starts to get tough.”
Polly’s younger brother Edd, from Warwickshire, took his life in 2009, aged just 31.
She said: “Losing someone to suicide is utterly devastating and I still find it very difficult to talk about. This is my way of trying to do something useful for the cause and to remember Edd. We miss him every day.”
The Baton of Hope charity believes almost all deaths by suicide are preventable and that society has a duty of care to prevent people from taking their own lives.
It organises a bi-annual Olympic-style baton relay which visits towns and cities around the UK.
The charity works tirelessly to make suicide prevention a top priority through campaigning, public education, lobbying and raising awareness
Mike said: “Polly has supported our charity for some time and thanks to compassionate people like her we are able to promote the message that stigma and silence are no way to deal with the biggest killer of men under 50 and women under 35. The more we open up - the more people will be encouraged to seek help before it’s too late. Thanks Polly, we’ll be cheering you on!”
To sponsor Polly visit JustGiving here.