Penwortham teacher joins sporting campaign to overcome brother's suicide and raise the profile of mental health

The Penwortham Priory Academy design and technology teacher is one of just nine people chosen from 1,200 applications for the campaign, a partnership between Bridgestone Tyres, the Olympic Association and Team GB .

The aim is overcome obstacles with the power of sport .

Adam said: “My brother Damian had a turbulent childhood and in January 2018, he took his life.

“It was a massive shock, he had issues but he was incredibly bright. He had been at UCLan studying to be an English teacher and his assignments were that good they gave him a posthumous degree.

“He was a big character, he did well in his GCSEs and A-Levels and then was in a band playing the guitar for a few years. He was incredibly gifted.

Adam added: “ “I became a teacher because of Damian. He told me to do my PGCE and I feel like I am doing what he wanted to do.

“Damian was a runner, he was athletic and I have never run before and the training is hard but it’s something I want to carry on with afterwards. I want something good to come out of what happened.”

Adam has also set up a Facebook group in Blackburn, where he lives, to help spread the message and also encourage people to talk about mental health issues, adding: “ Damian never talked about it, he kept his issues inside and the mind makes things worse.”

The team is being supported by Olympic gold medallist diver Chris Mears and pentathlete Greg Whyte andThey will finish with a 10k at the Olympic Park in September.