An epic trek through some of the most beautiful countryside in England is being staged to raise funds for a mental health charity for World Suicide Prevention Week in September.
The South Downs National Park in Sussex is the setting for the ‘Worthing Five Peaks Challenge’, organised by Olly’s Future (CIO 1187184) a national suicide prevention charity set up in memory of Oliver (Olly) Hare, a young man who tragically took his own life on February 14th 2017, just before his 23rd birthday.
Founded by his mother, Ann Feloy, its work includes delivering training to equip people with the skills to spot signs in someone who may be thinking of suicide and have a conversation that could help save their life. More than 11,500 people worldwide have so far taken part.
Places still available
The walk takes place on Saturday September 5th , starting at 9:00am and has two options – the ‘Worthing Five Peaks – The Big One (17 miles) or the ‘Worthing One Peak Challenge’ around Cissbury Ring ancient hillfort – The Short Challenge’ One (6 miles).
TO SIGN UP – https://ollysfuture.org.uk/events/fivepeakschallenge.
Ann, who lives south of the downs in Worthing, said: ‘Come join us for a beautiful adventure. You’ll be helping us raise funds during World Suicide Prevention Week, enjoying amazing countryside views, and doing something great for your own wellbeing.’
The Worthing Five Peaks Challenge, now in its second year, is an important event for the charity in raising both funds and
awareness for Olly’s Future. As well as Cissbury Ring, the trek takes in Chanctonbury Ring, Chantry Hill, Black Patch Hill
and ends at Highdown Hill.
Landscape rich in history and legend
Olly’s father, local historian Chris Hare, has studied the history and folklore of the South Downs and will be guiding one of the many walking groups. He said: ‘I will be talking about the ancient heritage of these hills whenever we pause for a rest on our journey.
‘Cissbury Ring, an Iron Age hillfort dates to about 250 BC, but flint mines that pockmark the north- western slopes of Cissbury, date back to the Neolithic around about 4000 BC
‘At Chanctonbury Ring archaeologists have found evidence of two temples or places of ritual, both dating from the Roman period. Many modern tales of mystery are associated with Chanctonbury, including occult practices and visitations by alien
craft.’
Chantry Hill is the mid-way point of walk and the steepest climb with evidence of Bronze Age barrow burials on the slopes.
Black Patch and Highdown Hill are the last two peaks on the trail and both are rich in history and mythology.
‘In local folklore, it was believed that a golden calf was buried at Black Patch, drawing heavily on Biblical imagery.
Although no such treasure was revealed, it does suggest a lingering folk memory of something significant and important lying beneath the grass and turf,’ said Chris.
‘Highdown is heavily imbued in local folklore. Midsummer bonfires were lit here until the early nineteenth century. At times of distress, local labourers would meet here to express their concerns and voice their discontent.’
Forming Olly’s Future
Following Olly’s death Ann, in the depths of grief and pain, put all her energy into ensuring that her son would not be forgotten, and that other families would not suffer as she and her loved ones had. She founded Olly’s Future in 2020, to raise awareness of suicide and equip people with the skills, confidence and competence to ask someone if they were thinking of suicide, working first with GPs as Patients Care Lead for ‘Practise Hope’, an initiative to help young people who are suicidal or self-harming to get better support from their doctors’ surgeries.
That same year, alongside mental health specialist Rose Rowkins, she developed the ‘Talking about Suicide:10 Tools’ training which consists of 10 practical tools to equip people with the skills to ask about suicide and keep someone ’safe for now’.
Ann also created Dr SAMS (Suicide Awareness in Medical Students), which is delivered every year to medical schools around the country, as part of the first year core curriculum, helping future doctors look after their own wellbeing, their peers and their future patients.
Before losing Olly, Ann worked in theatre and uses her scriptwriting skills to co-produce ‘Life-Saving Conversations’, which are audio recordings to illustrate how to ask about suicide in different scenarios. These scripts are recorded by actors and used as a training tool for people from all walks of life, including doctors, teachers, police and students.
Ann has also advised parliamentary staff at Number 10 Downing Street and campaigned successfully to change the NICE guidelines to ensure face-to-face consultations are made for first time patients of anti-depressants, as a result of Olly’s own poor treatment. He was prescribed the anti-depressant Citalopram over the phone by a doctor, despite never having a history of mental health issues, his mum said.
Ann said: ‘After taking that for four days it massively increased his anxiety and he took his own life. ‘I really can’t help feeling that had he been seen face to face, had he had a therapeutic conversation with the doctor about suicide, it may well have saved him.
Ann said: ‘I have so many people to thank for helping me in this work, particularly those wonderful friends of my son who
have been with me every step of the way. Without them none of this work would be possible”.
Awards and recognition
Two annual awards have been set up in Olly’s memory. At Christ’s Hospital School, near Horsham, West Sussex, which he attended from the age of 11-18 years, there is the Oliver Hare Cup for the ‘Band Musician of the Year’ , and at University
College London where he gained a first-class degree in history, there is the annual Oliver Hare Altruism Award.
Olly’s travel journals have also been published as a book telling his adventures and his own words and a film made from entitled Olly’s Light Travels. Ann said: ‘He kept amazing journals of all his travels around Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and the whole of South America. He left them in quite a prominent place when he died, so I felt he had placed them there for us to find and read.’
Ann received a Points of Light Award prime ministerial award for her work from Rishi Sunak, who held the post at the time, writing: ‘I was so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved son, Oliver, and so inspired to learn how you are celebrating his qualities of love and light through your charity Olly’s Future, which is doing so much to improve the support for those who might be feeling the way Olly did.
‘Through the development and delivery of “Talking about Suicide: Ten Tools” training, you have opened up conversations on mental health and equipped thousands of people with the practical skills to spot the signs and talk to people about suicide.’
Further information and contact details
https://ollysfuture.org.uk/
Ann Feloy, Founder and President ann@ollysfuture.org.uk 07809 697495
Instagram: @Ollys.Future Facebook: OllysFuture LinkedIn: Olly’s Future Bluesky: @ollysfuture.bsky.social
