Greg set himself the goal of running 62 miles over the course of October. His target is to raise £1,220, which would cover the cost of 100 potentially life-saving calls to CALM’s helpline, and he’s well on his way with over 40% of his goal achieved so far.
He took on the challenge to raise funds for the mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), joining thousands across the country in support of mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
He explained: “I first saw the event advertised on Facebook, and the charity’s name “Campaign Against Living Miserably” really spoke to me as I think it’s important to take a more active approach to improve both our mental and physical health.
“It’s been really inspiring to be doing this challenge with 3,500 others across the country, hearing peoples’ stories on the Facebook group and supporting each other through the challenge.
“It’s a fantastic charity which provides all kinds of crucial help for people struggling with low mental health. It provides a telephone helpline and online how-to guides for those who are feeling suicidal and who have lost friends/family to suicide. It even offers toolkits that help people to cope with external factors that impact their mental health such as money worries, work-life balance, and discrimination.”
Talking about the challenge itself, Greg explained: “I gradually built up my distances ran to running my first 10k in the second week, and my first 15k (longest run) in the third week.
“The 10k was difficult at first, but now I can run 10k’s relatively easily. The final 5k of my 15k was especially challenging, but by far my biggest achievement. Mentally I felt really accomplished and proud, my legs on the other hand…”
Inspired by Greg’s initiative, the Ealing team rallied around him, inviting service users to join the cause.
Together, they hosted craft and baking sessions led by the occupational therapy team. Service users crafted beautiful bracelets and keyrings featuring the “CALM” name, while others used their baking skills to create logo-themed biscuits. These handmade items were then sold at a fundraising stand, with all proceeds going towards Greg’s fundraiser.
Through this collaborative effort, both staff and service users have contributed creatively and generously, underscoring the power of community and support for mental health. Every sale brings Greg closer to his goal, allowing CALM to provide essential resources for those in need.
Greg added: “It’s been such an honour to have such kind and supportive colleagues and service users.
“When I circulated my fundraising page to donate to, I wasn’t expecting them to offer to help out massively with an additional fundraising sale. It was touching to see all the staff and service users come together making bracelets and baking CALM biscuits for such an amazing cause.”
To donate, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/gregory-milik-1727393773650