Matt & Calm
Matt is running the Run the Country Ultra to change minds, save lives and raise £105,000 of critical funding for CALM.
MaTT Bagwell
Endurance athlete, performance coach.
Matt is an endurance athlete, coach and marketing specialist, living in Shoreham-by-Sea.
Matt’s battles with depression led him to preparing to take his own life, more than once. Instead, he chose to stay, to live.
Run the County Ultra was designed as the ultimate celebration of survival, an extreme expression of what is possible in recovery. More than this, it was an endeavour to destigmatise the discussion about mental illness and to raise funds to save lives.
Matt continues to support men, creating a safe space for them to share their vulnerability with others, known locally as Shoremen. He also brings the local south coast community together on the beach every week to practice breathwork, his go-to superpower for stress and anxiety management.
“I left the promise I made to CALM incomplete in 2021. I know there is more that needs to be done, can be done, with one more run. Will this really be the last time we Run the Country?”
Calm
The Campaign Against Living Miserably
Every day, 18 people in the UK take their own life; 14 of those people will be male. Matt is running the Run the Country Ultra to ensure CALM are there to rewrite this tragic story.
The Campaign Against Living Miserably is leading a movement against suicide, challenging the causes of societal stigmas around mental injury. They also run a free and confidential helpline and webchat, staffed by professionals, 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems.
£8 covers the cost of a potentially life-changing call. Matt is aiming to raise £50,000 to add to the £55,000 already raised, fuelled by knowing every £ funds CALM to change lives.