This April, I'm taking on the iconic London Marathon - 26.2 miles through the heart of this incredible city. And while endurance running has transformed my life, this race means so much more than just crossing the finish line. I'm running to support Hong Kong Well, a charity that is dedicated to supporting the 150,000+ Hongkongers who have made the life-changing decision to start anew in the UK.
Leaving behind everything you know to join a new school in a new country is challenging at the best of times. Many children arriving from Hong Kong are doing so with additional emotional difficulties, while their families have lived through a period of considerable trauma.
Hong Kong Well is a non-profit organization that serves the mental wellbeing/health of children and teenagers newly migrated to the UK from Hong Kong, as well as supporting their parents and teachers.
According to Hong Kong Well data, 30% of Hong Kong parents in the UK say their children have exhibited mental health issues since arriving in the country. A majority have said they need counselling, SEN support and help with language and cultural barriers.
Hong Kong Well, which was started by three mothers from Hong Kong, has 80 volunteers – comprising 20 psychologists/therapists and 60 in other disciplines – the majority of whom are also new migrants from Hong Kong. Drawing on the city's fabled 'Lion Rock spirit', Hong Kong Well brings a vital focus on the mental health of children and parents recently migrated to the UK from Hong Kong, offering bespoke counselling support, advice, advocacy and information services in Cantonese and English.
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The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.
What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.
This April, I'm taking on the iconic London Marathon - 26.2 miles through the heart of this incredible city. And while endurance running has transformed my life, this race means so much more than just crossing the finish line. I'm running to support Hong Kong Well, a charity that is dedicated to supporting the 150,000+ Hongkongers who have made the life-changing decision to start anew in the UK.
Leaving behind everything you know to join a new school in a new country is challenging at the best of times. Many children arriving from Hong Kong are doing so with additional emotional difficulties, while their families have lived through a period of considerable trauma.
Hong Kong Well is a non-profit organization that serves the mental wellbeing/health of children and teenagers newly migrated to the UK from Hong Kong, as well as supporting their parents and teachers.
According to Hong Kong Well data, 30% of Hong Kong parents in the UK say their children have exhibited mental health issues since arriving in the country. A majority have said they need counselling, SEN support and help with language and cultural barriers.
Hong Kong Well, which was started by three mothers from Hong Kong, has 80 volunteers – comprising 20 psychologists/therapists and 60 in other disciplines – the majority of whom are also new migrants from Hong Kong. Drawing on the city's fabled 'Lion Rock spirit', Hong Kong Well brings a vital focus on the mental health of children and parents recently migrated to the UK from Hong Kong, offering bespoke counselling support, advice, advocacy and information services in Cantonese and English.
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The London Marathon has become an annual, inspiring and colourful fixture in the world’s sporting calendar since the inaugural race on 29 March 1981: a celebration of fun, fundraising and fancy dress.
What’s more, these participants have raised over a billion pounds for charity and there have been countless amazing tales of human achievement throughout the event’s history – living up to its aim of helping participants ‘to have fun, and provide some happiness and sense of achievement in a troubled world’.
