A local YMCA worker is preparing to take on the Burnham-On-Sea Half Marathon this weekend to raise funds for a mental health charity close to her heart.
Joanne Pinch, known to many simply as Jo, will be running the 13.1-mile race on Saturday 14th September in aid of In Charley’s Memory, a Highbridge-based charity offering counselling and support to young people and adults across Somerset.
Jo, who has worked with the YMCA for the past three years, says she’s seen first-hand the impact ICM has had on the community – and on her personally.
“Having worked for the YMCA for the past 3 years; witnessing the struggles experienced by both our young people and adults, the service that ICM has offered has been invaluable,” she says.
“I have also been using the service myself for the past year, and the support that I have received from my amazing counsellor has been life changing. I believe in this service, and want to do all I can to support its continued success.”
Jo has already raised hundreds of pounds through her JustGiving page, surpassing her original target thanks to generous donations from friends, colleagues, and supporters.
ICM, which receives no government funding, is one of Somerset’s leading providers of 1:1 counselling, supporting clients referred by GPs, NHS services, and social care teams.
The charity is currently facing increased demand and long waiting lists, making fundraising efforts like Jo’s all the more important.
The Burnham-On-Sea Half Marathon is expected to draw runners from across the region this coming Sunday.
For more on Jo’s fundraiser and to donate, visit her JustGiving page.
