We would like to say congratulations and a huge thank you to Ben, Maisie, William, and Jacob, who all took on the Bath Half Marathon 2026 to raise thousands of pounds for our branch.
The team ran the half marathon in memory of their friend Archie Jesty. They chose to support us, their local Samaritans branch, to help increase awareness and let people know that if they are ever going through a difficult time and need someone to talk to, we are here to listen.
The four fundraisers joined 15,000 other runners on the morning of Sunday March 15. They completed the half marathon in impressive times; all of them had crossed the finish line by just over the two-hour mark.
From Left to Right: William, Jacob, Ben, and Maisie.
It was an exceptional achievement, especially considering that none of them had ever completed a half-marathon before! Their dedication means everything to us. We find it so inspiring when people put in so much hard work to help our branch, all so we can continue to help others in need.
They were cheered on from the sidelines by parents and Archie’s school friends, who all travelled to Bath to show their support. Also supporting them was Archie’s mother, Emma Jesty, who wore orange (Archie’s favourite colour) and his aunt. Emma shared how touched she was that the team was running in Archie’s memory.
The day ended with well-deserved curries and roast dinners to celebrate their phenomenal achievement.
The runners and all our volunteers have been amazed and moved by how much people have donated. Thanks to everyone’s kindness and generosity, they have raised well beyond their original target of £5,000. Currently, the total sum is just over £6375, an incredible amount, and there is still time to donate to their fundraiser here if you would like to help our branch even further.
The funds raised will do so much to support our branch. Thanks to the team’s efforts, we will be able to continue running our invaluable listening service, organise more community outreach events, and recruit and train more volunteers so we can make sure we are there for those who need us.
Ben, Maisie, William, and Jacob -- thank you so much.