10 minute read
5 Teacher’s 10K a day for charity
Mental health has been a recurring, and important, topic over the last few years. But, with the current pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, people have been affected more than ever, including a drastic effect on the mental wellbeing of children. According to the NHS Mental Health and Young People survey, there has been an increase in probable mental health disorders in five to 16-year-olds, rising from one-in-nine in 2017 to one-in-six in 2020. As well as this, 54.1% of 11 to16year-olds with a probable mental health disorder were likely to say that lockdown had made their life worse. In light of these figures, one man has decided to try and help by running ten kilometres (or six miles) every single day for a year. Phill Hayward, a primary school PE teacher from the Wirral, came up with this mammoth year-long challenge to raise funds for local mental health charity Wirral Mind, as well as to develop awareness of mental health and suicide prevention in youngsters. Currently 183 days into his challenge, he explained how it hasn’t always been plain sailing since starting: “The first ten days, maybe two weeks, I thought ‘What am I doing here?’. “My body wasn’t used to the pounding of the streets, plus I wasn’t giving myself enough recovery time. I’ve had to change my diet, change when I eat, change my lifestyle and when to go out for a run. But, mentally, it’s probably been really tough as well. Teacher’s “Obviously, from September, we’ve still had some nice weather, and then going into October, November, December and Christmas time, we’ve had some really cold, frosty days. We’ve had some snow, which was really difficult, as well as early nights. Coming back from work and it was dark straight away and then trying to motivate myself was pretty tough. 10k “I’ve had no injuries as yet, and my body just seems to be getting stronger. Obviously, I’m getting used to it now and I’m learning how to recover.” Mr Hayward also explained how those following his journey have helped him.: “The reaction from children and the comments from children in the school have been really a day supportive, as well as my colleagues in work,” he said. “My friends and family, they’ve pushed me on every single day. Donations from people have been phenomenal, and I’m really lucky to know quite a lot of people who have spread the word for me. “It has been really overwhelming, really, as I’m quite a shy person. I can’t thank people enough for all the kindness, whether it’s encouraging words. donations, social media
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shares, or word of mouth. “When I look at the children at work and they see me as a hero, or a role model, that’s really inspiring and I always try and give back to people who may be struggling. To be representing the Wirral, I’m just proud to do my bit.” His story has even garnered some celebrity interactions on Twitter, having footballing legends Jamie Carragher and Alan Shearer help spread his story and get behind him.: “How that came about was a lot of my friends saying ‘Come on. You need to get out from the Wirral now and go global on social media’”, he said. “With me being quite shy and not being really into all that. I thought, you know what, it’s for the charity, and the charity is going to get more money, so if I can get this challenge out and about in the Twitter world, then it might grow legs and it might go somewhere. “Being a big football fanatic, to see two guys who are on the TV as pundits on Match of the Day or Sky Sports support me, that was mind blowing.” His role as a schoolteacher has shown Mr Hayward first-hand how this pandemic has affected children. “Some children haven’t seen friends for four to six weeks, and before that in the first lockdown,” he said. “I had a fabulous childhood. I remember everything I used to do. I was climbing trees, playing football, going to the park. These children aren’t getting the opportunity to do that, and especially not being able to have a normal childhood.” His GoFundMe is currently sitting at £3,197, but Phil shows no signs of stopping. He believes talking about mental health in general, for both the young and old, is something that needs to be done to allow more people to feel comfortable opening up instead of suffering in silence.: “I think a lot of people hide behind a smile. They just say ‘no, I’m okay’, when really there’s more to it,” he said. “I think it’s so important after this lockdown and after this pandemic, that it’s okay to open up to people, talk to people, and to not keep things in. Don’t be embarrassed, don’t be ashamed, and don’t be scared. We all have our own demons and things that we keep to ourselves and close to our chest, but it’s really important
to talk to people. “I’ve had people privately message me saying ‘You’re an inspiration’, ‘It’s helped me’, ‘I’ve been a little bit down and you’ve helped me open up’ so it’s fabulous what I’m trying to raise the awareness of, but it’s also fabulous to know that people can come to me and chat to me.”
“I think a lot of people hide behind a smile. They just say ‘No, I’m okay’, when really there’s more to it” “Don’t be embarrassed, don’t be ashamed, and don’t be scared. We all have our own demons and things that we keep to ourselves and close to our chest, but it’s really important to talk to peo-
Photo credit By Man vyi - Self-photographed, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index. php?curid=4644107
Labour fiasco leaves Liverpool looking for leadership
Liverpool Opinion
By Samuel Hodgkiss
When incumbent its all-female shortlist running for tactical move from the party to allow protest of the announcement. Mayor of Mayor of Liverpool. This was at this to happen. So what now for Labour? This Liverpool Joe the same time as interim mayor is a crucial question that is very Anderson was arrested in December 2020 after an investigation Wendy Simon, former deputy mayor Ann O’Byrne and current lord mayor Anna Rothery were still Rightfully so, Labour have been heavily criticised for this, which I totally agree with. much up for discussion right now. A stronghold for generations that could easily fall to an independent into development contracts in the city touting for votes, unbeknown to the What could have been a momentous candidate is looking ever more likely, - allegations which he strenuously announcement from the party and moment for the city in a time of huge as people are becoming fed up with denies - it began the chain of events without any warnings whatsoever. developments in cultural diversity constant conflicts and bad reputation that leave us to where we are today. But all of this comes after the facts and awakening, with Anna Rothery within the Labour Party.
After officially relinquishing all his that the shortlist was meant to be potentially becoming the first black And for young women of the city, duties except Mayor of Liverpool finalised weeks ago but delays to female Mayor of Liverpool, is now inspired by the three woman who soon after, it was announced by voting caused a back-log and resulted impossible. were running to be mayor of the city Anderson himself that Labour should in a postponement. By doing this, they have now left they grew up in, what about them? elect a new Mayor of Liverpool in the However, with developments themselves in a domestic turmoil with What hope do you have of inspiring 2021 election as it “would be in the showing that all-female candidates its own councillors trying to abolish young women to become great role best interests of the Labour Party”. were dropped, it may have been a completely the role of city mayor in models for the future generations
But with Labour seemingly when in today’s society they are still handling the current ongoing election for a new mayor in such poor fashion, it is now open to an independent candidate to take over from Labour, which is famously one of Labour’s most loyal strongholds. So to clarify if you may be unaware, reasons as for why the Labour Party are handling the election so poorly is that last week, the party announced it was scrapping For young women of the city, inspired by the three woman who were running to be mayor of the city they grew up in, what about them?’ ‘ subject to what could be regarded as misogyny and discrimination? As for the future of the Labour Party, they now need to find a way to regain the trust back from their voters and learn from the mistakes made. I’m sure the party will thrive again in Liverpool, but for this happen they must always remain honest and transparent with the people they represent.
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Labour’s Tomas Logan (left) and the Green Party’s Tom Crone are both outraged with Labour’s decision to throw out their shortlist © Tomas Logan and Steph Colderick
STEPH COLDERICK speaks to two Liverpool councillors about Labour’s chaotic Mayoral election campaign
Liverpool has been caught up in a whirlwind of political shock and disappointment after the Labour Party campaign for the mayoral election in May was thrown into chaos when a previously agreed shortlist was abruptly thrown out.
The Party announced that the original three candidates (Wendy Simon, Ann O’Byrne and Anna Rothery) standing to be elected Mayor had been dropped and would not be able to run for election.
The Labour party is yet to explain the reasoning behind the move, but it has caused outrage and anger from all aspects of the city’s political spectrum with leader of the Liverpool Green Party Tom Crone to Princes Park Labour Councillor Tomas Logan both speaking to LL about the decision.
Cllr Crone stressed the chaotic effects of the announcement.
He said: “To re-open nominations and bar all three candidates whose names are currently in the hat from participating is in my experience unprecedented, I have never heard of anything like it.”
The Liverpool Green Party and Cllr Crone are calling for a cross-party cabinet to lead the city, not only through the coronavirus pandemic but also in this time of political uncertainty.
He said: “We need something quite radical now because this is the most shambolic situation I have ever seen in local government.”
Cllr Crone believes this recent action from the Labour party will further turn away voters, especially following the arrest of former mayor Joe Anderson on suspicion of conspiracy to commit bribery and witness intimidation
He said: “I think people in Liverpool really will be looking elsewhere now, other than the Labour party, for their votes.”
Within the Liverpool branch of the Labour party councillors, including Tomas Logan, who represents Princes Park ward, are shocked at how the national Labour Party have handled the situation.
He said: “They have thrown all Liverpool Labour members under the bus and they have not even explained why, it is atrocious, it is horrific.”
On Saturday, in a special three and a half hour meeting Liverpool Labour passed a motion asking for the election process to be paused, demanding an immediate response about why the candidates were dropped and expressing solidarity with the candidates.
Liverpool Labour are also aiming to hold a referendum in September about whether to continue with the Mayoral model.
Cllr Logan said: “It would not be binding referendum, but obviously it would show what the city wants and that would help us decide whether to have a Mayor.”
At the same meeting a motion about no longer using the Mayoral model was not passed, and Cllr Logan believes this may have been because of legal fears.
He said: “I think that kind of spooked a lot of people into not voting for the motion to scrap the Mayoral model.”
Whether the national Labour Party will provide an explanation for the sudden change that has sent shockwaves across Liverpool remains to be seen. So far they have not provided a comment for LL.
