“Carry the Weight” for Alfie’s Squad

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Lightbody Health CIC will be undertaking its annual ‘Carry the Weight’ walk from Southport to Otterspool Prom in Liverpool to raise money for Alfie’s Squad CIC.

Alfie’s Squad – led by MWOTY 2023 Woman of Courage winner Allison Furlong and her son Alfie Fitzsimmons – supports children and their families who have been bereaved by suicide. They have a peer support group for children bereaved by suicide in Liverpool which supports children from all over Merseyside and beyond. The group is the first of its kind in the UK.

Brian Lightbody, founder of Lightbody Health CIC, and Paul Growney, a director of the CIC, along with their ever-increasing group of volunteers, Alfie and some of his supporters will be taking part in this arduous 12 hour walk, covering just over 26 miles.

Some of the participants will be carrying 35 lbs of weight, whilst others will be sharing the load between them. Each of these 35 lbs represents a bereaved family who are currently being supported by Alfie’s Squad. This weight not only symbolises people that they have lost, but also the heavy burden that these families carry trying to cope with their grief.

Alfie’s Squad currently supports more than 40 children in person, as well as children online from across the country. All these children have lost a loved one to suicide.

Brian Lightbody said: “Having seen the impact Alfie’s Squad has made towards supporting children bereaved by suicide, I was extremely moved and felt our ‘Carry the Weight’ challenge couldn’t support a more worthy cause.

“We started the ‘Carry the Weight’ challenge nearly five years ago and have continued with it every year since, raising funds to help decrease social isolation and mental health issues in our community.

“It is a gruelling challenge that represents the weight mental health issues can have on people and the suffering felt by loved ones left behind. Ours is only a physical struggle on the day, yet that struggle is a daily occurrence for others.

“At Alfie’s Squad they are supporting the most vulnerable children through what is probably the hardest period of their lives. Losing a loved one by suicide would be a burden for anybody to handle but for a child you can imagine the questions and the trauma that might arise.

“Helping them understand, come to terms and empower the rest of their lives through community and connection is only the start of what Alfies Squad are achieving.

“I think supporting Alfies Squad by carrying the weight of the children’s lost loved ones will be a small step in providing support for them to carry on their fantastic work in our communities’.

“Our Carry the Weight walkers will be joined by the families being supported by Alfie’s Squad for the final part of the walk, which will be a poignant tribute to the people they have lost.

Alfie Fitzsimmons said: “I am honoured that Lightbody Health, and their amazing staff and volunteers have chosen to work with Alfie’s Squad for ‘Carry the Weight’ this year. It feels really special that people recognise what we are doing to help families who have been bereaved by suicide. It is going to be a very tough day for me physically, but it will be worth it at the end.”

To support the fundraiser, visit: https://gofund.me/2bdbcec2

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