King’s Lynn 8:56 Foundation continues its legacy to men’s mental health
It's goodbye for now.
This will be the final column by the 8:56 Foundation in Lynn News.
We've come a long way since we were officially voted Charity of the Year by readers in May 2022, and this has provided an important platform to communicate with residents of West Norfolk.
There have been many achievements during this time, including the launch of the #ItsTimeToTalk campaign, which has seen countless people around the region share our message. Sports and football clubs have joined in, holding up our banners, wearing our armbands and shouting the message clear at games from grassroots up to national league level.
We've seen the numbers of men participating in our events steadily increase, whether this be socialising at Men's Time events, or speaking in confidence at our Time to Talk sessions which have been run in conjunction with specialists and partner organisations.
All this can only be made possible through the generosity of our sponsors and fundraisers - who have taken on incredible challenges such as Trundley Group’s climb up Snowden which raised £6.5k. We were the largest charitable organisation to be represented at GEAR, with our black and gold vests stomping across the streets of King's Lynn, made possible by the amazing TEAM 856 running group.
Raising money isn't easy but we've ensured people who have bought tickets to our events have had fun too - whether this be at our (now famous) pub quizzes, disco nights, charity ball or golf days. And there are plans for more, with Wellfest around the corner.
Behind-the-scenes the planning for these events is continuous, run by a group of dedicated trustees and committee members united by one cause. However, each member agrees that if we can help save even one life, then it has all been very much worthwhile.
Lastly, we'd like to thank everyone that has been part of the 8:56 Foundation journey thus far. Whether you've donated, supported us or used our services, we thank you for playing a part in Lee's legacy.
