Poet Pens Ode To Suicide Charity Dad
18 February 2019, 08:33 | Updated: 18 February 2019, 08:36
A Cumbria-based poet has written an ode to a dad who's already raised £20,000 for suicide prevention charity, Papyrus.
Phil Houghton penned 'Brave Legs' (which you can read in full, below) in response to Andy Airey's story.
He's running a half marathon this Saturday in place of his daughter, Sophie, who took her her own life before Christmas.
Andy's JustGiving page is here.
Andy says; “Sophie, our beautiful daughter, took her own life last December. She was entered to run the Northumberland Half Marathon on February 23rd; needless to say, she won’t be there, but I have arranged to take Sophie’s entry and will run in her place. We are determined to bring something positive out of our terrible loss, so we are raising funds for PAPYRUS, the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.
“Suicide is the biggest killer of young people in the UK. PAPYRUS believes that many young suicides are preventable; the charity runs a helpline giving support and advice for people suffering from suicidal thoughts, or those who are concerned about friends and loved ones. Since setting up a JustGiving page we have already reached £20,000 and we’re trying to see just how far above it we can get! Every £5 donated pays for a call to HOPELINEUK; even the smallest donation may help save a life.”
*****
Brave legs
Run,
not like the wind,
but the gentle breeze
that whispers
through curtains
on a Summer’s night
run,
not like the clappers,
but like a distant bell
that rings
unexpectedly,
carries a memory
across the Dale
run,
like a Hare
full of the vigour
of all those earlier Springs
run,
like the Beck
true
and with purpose,
obstacle shifting,
contour defying
ever onward,
shaping the future
in the bedrock’s
past
run
alone,
but run
always
together
*
For Andy – Run for Sophie
Phil M Houghton
Copyright 25th January 2019
