Moving towards better mental health with Newcastle United Foundation and Great North 10k

A passionate Newcastle United Foundation coordinator running to boost her mental wellbeing is inspirational others to join an iconic 10k challenge to support Newcastle United Foundation.

Jacqueline Critchley will be among thousands of North East runners proudly taking on the all new AJ Bell Great North 10k in partnership with the official charity arm of Newcastle United on July 2, 2023.

Heading off from the famous Great North Run Central Motorway start line for the first time, runners will head across the Tyne Bridge and loop back into the city centre, passing Grey’s Monument, Old Eldon Square and the Civic Centre before crossing the finish line on the Town Moor.

The revamped route revealed by the Great Run Company earlier this year has already attracted dozens of runners taking on the 10k as a fundraising opportunity for the community work of Newcastle United Foundation.

Jacqueline, a Senior Project Coordinator in Newcastle United Foundation’s Sport and Wellbeing team, is one runner who knows the event can be life changing.

She said: “I took up running around ten years ago and I couldn’t even run to the end of the street when I first started. Since then, I’ve covered distances from 5k to half marathons.

“For a long time, running was always about the physical health benefits for me – running faster and achieving personal bests was a real motivator. But over the last 18 months, the focus has shifted to my mental health and wellbeing and trying to overcome adversity by using running as a motivation to feel better.

“Prior to Christmas last year, I was diagnosed with anxiety and now I use running on the really tough days to get me outside to focus on something positive and to work towards a better sense of calm and self-regulation.

“I’ve entered the Great North 10k as a way to keep myself motivated on the dark days of poor mental wellbeing, knowing that I will feel better physically and mentally once I’ve completed a run.

“Running for Newcastle United Foundation is going to provide the donations and funding we need to support so many brilliant and life-changing programmes which create opportunities for people of all ages and abilities in the North East, helping everyone to achieve their full potential.”

Runners who choose to fundraise for Newcastle United Foundation will be issued with a special black and white striped run number in the clubs’ colours.

Jacqueline added: “Having worked for Newcastle United Foundation for nearly six years, I am always so proud of the work we do and the lives we change and have seen first-hand the true impact we have on our local community.

“I ran the Great North Run for Newcastle United Foundation in 2022 and it’s a huge bonus running in the famous black and white – the chants of ‘Toon, Toon’ at you as you run past give you that motivation to keep going.

“The new 10k route is the perfect opportunity for those who haven’t yet experienced running across the Tyne Bridge at a Great North Run event, or for those who are wanting to relive some great memories of running across it.”

Entries are open to join the AJ Bell Great North 10k and the special black and white wave fundraising for Newcastle United Foundation.

Paul Foster, Chief Executive of the Great Run Company said, “With only six weeks to go until this exciting revamp of the AJ Bell Great North 10k, we are looking forward to seeing thousands of runners lining the streets of Newcastle, being cheered every step of the way through the heart of our vibrant city centre.

“And we are encouraging runners to raise money for our charity partner, Newcastle United
Foundation to help them continue their great work in improving the lives of thousands of children, teenagers, adults, families and older generations in the region.”

For more information or to enter, visit the Great Run website.

For more information about the Foundation and programmes near you, follow Newcastle United Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for regular news and updates.