A CHARITY run which raises funds and awareness to support young people’s mental health in memory of a teenager who took her own life is to return for the third time.
Run for Kezia, which was started in 2022 in honour of Kezia Mason, will be held to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day on 15 September.
Organisers said the event had been rebranded with a new logo and a wider series of events to encourage the importance of physical and mental health among teenagers.
Last year’s event saw more than 800 Islanders run or walk distances of 10k, 5k and 2k starting from Jardins de la Mer.
Its two iterations have raised a combined total of £35,000 for Kezia’s Fund, which distributes grants to organisations working to help support those experiencing mental-health challenges.
Kezia’s father, Rob Mason, said the logo for the now annual event had been rebranded from a silhouette of his daughter to a green heart tailing into a ribbon. This is to reflect that her legacy is a focus on supporting children and young people to appreciate the importance of mental and physical health.
Mr Mason said: “The green heart has become a symbol of Kezia’s loss when friends and family correspond with each other.
“Green was Kezia’s favourite colour and the green ribbon is traditionally worn to represent mental health.”
Race organiser Alex Ruddy added that she had teamed up with Claudia Andrade from Move More Jersey Sport, Cleo Raphael-Hall from the Island’s Mental Health Service, fitness leader Ceri Tinley, and Adam Grocott, coach of Wednesday Night Football Club, to put on other activities alongside Run for Kezia.
These include a couch-to-5k, football and other sessions aimed at teenagers.
She said: “These sessions are aimed at teenagers who might not consider themselves sporty but are looking for friendship, fun and a chance to build up their fitness in a safe environment.”
Sponsors Oben Law & Regulatory, Grant Thornton, Rathbones and Vaiie have also announced their continued support for the event.
– For more details about Run for Kezia, follow the event on social media (X, Facebook and Instagram) or sign up at race-nation.co.uk/register/run-for-kezia
Foundation
– Following the tragic death by suicide of Kezia Mason at the age of 14 in March 2022, her friends Saskia Ruddy, Lily Barker and Tilly Welsh decided to put on an event to raise awareness and funds for the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Jersey
