Ted Senior Foundation 2024 Wrap Up

With 2024 now drawn to a close, we are taking a moment to reflect on what was a truly transformational year for the Ted Senior Foundation. Together, we have made huge strides in raising awareness of mental health and providing specialist training to individuals, groups and organisations – both locally and across the country. But none of this would have been possible without you, our incredible supporters.

Whether you have fundraised, volunteered, or shared our message, you are making a real difference. If you don’t believe us, just keep reading – this newsletter is packed with inspiring achievements from TSF supporters, as well as the impact we’ve made together.

We also wanted to acknowledge that this time of year can be difficult for many, and it always reminds us how vital your support truly is. On behalf of all the trustees, thank you for standing by our side in 2024. Here’s to 2025!

So, grab a cuppa, and join us as we look back on some of the highlights and achievements you made possible.

Our Amazing Fundraisers

Thank you so much to our incredible fundraisers who have taken on challenges, organised events, and inspired us all. Since last January, you have raised over £45,000, an incredible achievement! Your efforts enable us to continue making a real difference!

Whilst you may be familiar with our fundraisers from early 2024, we wanted to say a huge thank you to a few of our more recent supporters.

Jo and Phil Collie

Jo (née Dawson) and Phil Collie made the generous gesture at their wedding to donate to TSF in place of gifts. Thank you for sharing your celebration with us!

Richard Maltz – Ultra Race

In September, Richard completed the England Ultra Race – 50km through the Peak District with a gruelling 1,900m elevation gain. He raised over £2,500 for TSF, an absolutely phenomenal effort!

Movember Medics

Building on a fantastic partnership over the last few years, the medical students led by James Mitchell have excelled once again in their Movember efforts! Teams from Cardiff (@cardiffmeds), Edinburgh (@eumrfc), and London (@bartsrugby) have led the way, raising nearly £1,200.

Next up: the Medics Cycle Britain event will be happening in August 2025. Three medics sports clubs will take on an epic challenge: summiting the three peaks and cycling the 1,000km in between. This marks five years since Cardiff Meds cycled Wales – this year, there will be new clubs, as well as familiar faces and a huge amount of support.

See the events section below for more details.

Callum Woodcock – Barcelona Triathlon

A huge well done and thank you to Callum who took on the Barcelona Triathlon in November, representing TSF with determination and pride.

Tom and Lucy – Athens Marathon

Tom Lloyd and Lucy completed the Athens Marathon in November, raising an incredible £1,400 for TSF! This isn’t their first challenge in support of us, and we’re so grateful for their ongoing dedication.

Medics Varsity – Bristol vs Cardiff

On 23rd November 2024, Bristol and Cardiff University medical sports teams competed in the Varsity event, with the rugby teams playing for the Ted Senior Memorial Cup.

"Bristol & Cardiff University rugby teams play for the Ted Senior memorial Cup. Ted and The Ted Senior Foundation are closely linked to both our university communities and we are delighted that our event will continue to be linked to Ted and his family for the foreseeable future.

At Bristol we have been fortunate to be part of the Ted's friends scheme which facilitates support, training and activities on a peer to peer basis to support student wellbeing. We are so grateful to the foundation for all they've done to support our students.

Varsity is of course about competition and achieving shared goals as a team. But the event is also a moment for our university communities to come together in support of one another. I feel so proud to be part of a community that cares deeply for one another and is united in ambition to make memories we can cherish for a lifetime."

Tom Doughty – Bath Rugby

Tom generously donated his Bath Rugby kit to InMyLocker and chose TSF as the beneficiary. Thank you, Tom.

As ever, we are all so grateful to all our fundraisers and supporters – a special thank you must go to Mandarin Stone and Cardiff Medics Squash Club.

In Other News...

The Hardest Geezer – Russ Cook

Russ Cook, aka The Hardest Geezer, proudly sported a TSF band during the Clapham Common Park Run. You’re an inspiration to us all, Russ!

Nellie the Therapy Dog

We’re also thrilled to introduce the latest and likely cutest addition to the TSF team – Nellie, the Senior family’s dog, who has officially qualified as a therapy dog. Well done Nellie!
 

Ted’s Stone at Avon Beach - Mudeford

Thank you to the Nurse family for looking after the big yellow TED stone at Avon Beach. If you are ever in the area, please send us a picture!

Your Impact - Our Partnerships

James' Place

We are proud to continue our partnership with James’ Place and are delighted to support their vital work by helping to fund a professional therapist.

James’ Place offers free, focused, one-to-one therapy that helps men understand and recover from suicidal crisis. With a shared goal of reducing the incidence of suicide, our partnership reflects the heart of what TSF stands for.

As part of our three-year funding commitment, in 2024 your funding was critical in supporting the James’ Place expansion manager in their role to grow the national footprint of the charity. This resulted in the opening of the Newcastle Centre earlier this year, and major progress made with their next centre which we hope will be opening in Birmingham next year. 

With 3,100 men helped through James’ Place to date, the support we are providing through your donations will ensure that more men, in more places, than ever before, will be able to access this critical service.

The Looseheadz Foundation

We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Looseheadz, the mental health foundation and clothing brand raising awareness of mental health in the rugby community. 

Building on the success of their ‘Introduction to Mental Health’ and ‘Youth Training’ modules, Looseheadz are in the process of developing a university-specific mental health training module tailored to the unique challenges faced by university rugby players.

Looseheadz and TSF will be working together to create this module, funded by you – our amazing supporters. This vital work will improve the overall mental health and wellbeing of sports clubs across universities.

The Support After Suicide Partnership (SASP)

We are proud to continue our partnership with SASP, who bring together services to ensure that everyone bereaved by suicide receives timely and appropriate support. Their website is full of useful information and resources.

Mind in Gwent – Suicide First Aid Training and other local collaborations

As we come to the end of the year, we are delighted to share the success of the Suicide First Aid courses, which were fully allocated throughout 2024.

Thanks to the Nationwide grant, we are thrilled to confirm that additional courses will be available in 2025. The demand for this training has been overwhelming, and the feedback we’ve received has been truly inspiring – it’s clear that these courses are making a real difference!

“A very informative and interesting session that has really made me think about suicide prevention and how I might be able to help someone who is struggling with their mental health.”

A huge thank you goes to Lisa van Os, training Coordinator at Mind in Gwent, and the wider team of trainers who worked so hard to make this all happen.

TSF would also like to say a special thank you to Jackie Williams, Senior Public Health Practitioner at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, for the incredible work she is undertaking in the Gwent area. 

We also had the privilege of attending an amazing event organised by 4 Minds and Tidy Butt in collaboration with Dragons RFC. We hosted an exhibit stand and were joined by others showcasing the significant work that is going on with Men's Mental Health and wellbeing in Gwent.

We met some amazing organisations and charities and formed new relationships and partnerships, to continue making an impact with our work. Rhys Thomas and Matthew Creel delivered a powerful mental health presentation on the night.

Ted's Friends

Our peer support scheme has been rolled out into the Sports Clubs in Bristol Medical School and we have an amazing group of individuals who volunteer as Teds Friends. The Teds Friends have all completed their Mental Health First Aid Training alongside Donna, from TSF, which was facilitated by Andrea Phillimore.

We would like to thank each and every one of them for the amazing support they offer, raising awareness and making such a difference to so many students. The core aim of the scheme is to promote constructive conversations around mental health, and each one of the Teds Friends are there for anyone in need of support. Here are a few photos of them having a catch up to discuss the Teds Friends Scheme and planning the year ahead.

Of course none of this would be possible without the continued support of the incredible Mike Armiger, who supports the Teds Friends. Mike has always been there every step of the way with TSF, and has been instrumental in setting up and supporting the scheme.

A huge thank you from us all at TSF. You all make such a difference and we could not do this without you all!

Looking Ahead to 2025

A huge good luck and thank you to all the fundraisers already preparing to take on challenges for TSF in the year ahead. Stay tuned for more updates – we can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together!

TSF Charity Rugby Match is back...

📅 Saturday 17th May 2025, Monmouth Rugby Club, Wales

A brilliant day of sport and community spirit in support of TSF. Who knows, the TSF baa baas might finally get the win this year…

The North v South Run

📅 4th to 7th June 2025

Runners will take on this epic multi-day challenge across the country.

Medics Cycle Britain

📅 26th July - 2nd August 2025

Medics sports clubs will summit the Three Peaks and cycle 1,000km in between travelling from Scotland to Wales – an incredible endurance challenge!

Crazy Gang Long Course Weekend

📅 Date 27th to 29th June

Donna, Sam, and Monmouth Rugby Club are teaming up for this fantastic triathlon event, showing the power of community working together.

Stay tuned for a short piece from Donna about this inspiring collaboration! For more info on the event, check out the page from last year’s heroic fundraiser.

London Marathon

📅 April 2025

Runners including Tom Walker will take on the legendary 26.2 miles to raise funds for TSF – thank you!

To find out more about fundraising opportunities or to get involved, contact Donna at donna@thetedseniorfoundation.org

Finally, we are excited to announce the launch of the Ted Senior Foundation Grants Programme for 2025!

In line with our mission, TSF will be awarding grants to organisations and charities that contribute to existing programmes, develop new projects or deliver interventions within the mental health and suicide prevention sector.

The funding will be available throughout 2025, and we will share details of the application process as soon as it opens.

Stay tuned for details on how to apply for these – we can’t wait to see the incredible work that these grants will help bring to life!

Together, we are creating change and opening up conversations. From all of us at the Ted Senior Foundation, thank you for your unwavering support in 2024.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose! ✨💛💙