Newark town clerk is raising awareness for the benefits of running as he takes part in the AJ Bell Great South Run and raises funds for Newark Town Team Talk Men’s Peer Support Group

A man is hoping to run towards breaking men’s mental health stigma and highlight the importance of exercise to clear the mind and soul.

Matthew Gleadell, Newark Town clerk and an avid runner, is taking part at the AJ Bell Great South Run in Portsmouth on October 20.

He is hoping to raise £100 through a GoFundMe page to support Newark Town Team Talk — Men’s Peer Support Group, which runs every Tuesday at 7pm.

Matthew first started running when he turned 30 years old, around the time he stopped smoking due to health concerns.

He then decided to get fitter and one evening at the pub he decided to sign up to do a 10K run, and after a few months of training and “never stopped since, other than injuries and being ill now and again”.

Matthew said: “The reason why I do a lot of running and entering events is because I find that running is really helpful for dealing with my own mental health challenges, anxieties and stresses.

“People might think that somebody like me doing the job that I do can't possibly suffer from mental health problems, but I do.”

The town clerk has previously attended one of the mental health sessions hosted by the club, where men can turn up and share their own experiences and advice.

It is aimed at men supporting each other, breaking down the stigma of mental health and raising awareness of suicide and self-harm.

Matthew added: “I felt that I could possibly help and be a support to other people, I suppose I just want to break down any sense people might have that people who may be seen to have a senior position or an important job can't possibly suffer from mental health challenges.

“People who know me will think that I'm quite confident and outgoing, but internally that isn't always how I feel.

“It might be how I come across, but actually that's just sometimes an inbuilt mechanism to hide your own internal anxieties.

“I am a big advocate for anybody that's struggling with any sort of similar issues, anxieties and mental challenges to use exercise because it does help massively.

“You always get a post-exercise buzz that can be helpful and just generally being fit and healthy is always good for your mental health anyway.”

Despite having taken part in several official runs over the years, the AJ Bell Great South Run will be his biggest event as it is a televised event with thousands of participants.

He added: “I'm sure the atmosphere around the course will be great, it will just be on a different scale to what I'm used to.

“I’m used to doing more local 10Ks and half marathons and whilst they've got their own atmosphere when you're doing it on the sort of scale where you've got international athletes that are on the front, I obviously get nowhere near them but it is just a different level altogether.”