Matt's Story: 25 Lancashire Minds
Matt’s Story
Running through the storm: Matt’s story of resilience, recovery and raising awareness for men’s mental health.
Finding strength in a tough year.
Seven years ago, Matt Dewhurst faced one of the hardest periods of his life. “My dad passed away, I had a change in my job, and I went through a breakup – all at once,” he recalls. “It was a lot to handle mentally. I was 27, and everything seemed to hit at the same time.”
Amid the chaos, Matt reached out for mental health support. A decision he says changed everything. “It made a massive difference just being around somebody who was judgment free and helped me process my own thoughts. I know firsthand how powerful it can be to talk and to get the right support.”
That experience stayed with him. Years later, as a personal trainer, Matt saw the same struggles in others – especially men. He decided to turn his empathy and energy into action.
A challenge for change.
In support of men’s mental health, Matt set himself an ambitious goal: to run 10K every day through November (each one in under an hour) to raise funds for Lancashire Mind.
“As personal trainers, we work with people on their physical health every day,” Matt explains, “but we also see how much mental health affects people – especially men. I wanted to do something that made a difference.”
He structured his challenge with what he calls his good, great and greedy goals:
Good: Finish every 10K and raise awareness.
Great: Raise over £3,000 for mental health support.
Greedy: End the month with a marathon.
“I thought if I was feeling okay by the end, I’d push it further,” he laughs. “My wife said, ‘21 miles isn’t far off 26 – you might as well run a marathon.’ She was right. So, that became the plan.”
Running together, even in a storm.
Matt’s challenge quickly gathered momentum. His gym community rallied around him – running, cycling, cheering and donating.
“Everyone got behind it,” Matt says. “Some people who didn’t even run came out on their bikes just to support. It was amazing.”
The weather however, wasn’t so kind. “The first few weeks were sunny, and then the temperature dropped. One morning my back went into spasm, and later that day I couldn’t even get off the floor,” he remembers. “But the next day, I still got up and ran – through what one of the lads called an apocalyptic storm.”
“It’s one of my best memories,” he adds. “Five people turned up in wind and rain at 6 a.m. They didn’t need to be there, but they were. That’s what support looks like.”
Hard things make you stronger.
For Matt, the physical challenge mirrored the mental ones life throws at us all.
“That’s what life does – it throws challenges at you. It’s how you react to them,” he says. “If you do hard things, you get better at doing hard things. Whether that’s running every day or having tough conversations, the more you do them, the easier they get.”
Even on the hardest days, Matt kept perspective.
“One day I was out running and got a text from a friend saying their newborn’s surgery had been cancelled,” he recalls. “I was tired and sore, but that message stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me – my hard day was nothing compared to what some people are facing.”
More than miles – a message for men.
By the end of his incredible challenge, Matt had achieved every goal – and more! He ran a marathon on the final day and almost doubled his fundraising total, helping provide vital support to Lancashire Mind and the mental health of those in need across the county.
But beyond the miles, it was about something deeper: encouraging men to open up.
“So many men bottle things up because they think they have to be strong,” Matt says. “But real strength is asking for help when you need it. That’s what I learned.”
Matt’s message is simple but powerful:
“If you’re struggling – talk. Get help. Do something that challenges you, but don’t do it alone. Because you don’t have to.”
Inspired by Matt’s story?
If Matt’s story has inspired you to take on a challenge, get active for your wellbeing, or raise funds to support others – we’d love to hear from you.
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