Campaigner finishes 800-mile football grounds run

If U Care Share is trying to raise £135,000 to prevent suicide deaths and help those left behind

The founder of a suicide prevention charity has finished an 800-mile run to every Premier League football ground.

Matthew Smith founded the If U Care Share Foundation (IUCSF) 19 years ago after the death of his brother Daniel O'Hare, and finished his run at Newcastle United's St James' Park.

The run was part of an attempt to raise £135,000 for the charity, a figure chosen to represent the roughly 135 people who are affected by every death by suicide.

"We want to try and do something to keep people here, to talk about hope and to talk about the people we have lost as well," Mr Smith said.

"For me personally, I am a die-hard Newcastle fan.

"It goes past the football for me. Football is the memories I have with Dan. Football keeps me close with my brother."

Matthew Smith was met by friends, family and supporters at St James' Park at the end of his mammoth run

Mr Smith started his run in Bournemouth on 5 August and finished on Friday.

He completed the run wearing a T-shirt bearing the names of more than 200 people who had died by suicide.

Throughout his journey, he met those who had been affected by the death of a loved one.

"The main idea of the run was to talk about the impact of suicide," he said.

"It's a subject that we don't often talk about - the people like me who are left behind."

• If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can visit BBC Action Line.

Mr Smith's mum Shirley was among the crowd waiting in Newcastle to greet him as he crossed the finish line.

"We had three sons; we still have three sons," she said.

"I know another son will be looking down today on his two little brothers."

She told the crowd that the public's support was more important than ever after the charity's funding had been cut in April.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness also met Mr Smith at the end of his run.

She said while she was proud that IUCSF was a North East charity, she was saddened the region runs "top of the pile" for the number of people who die from suicide.

"That is something we should never be proud of and we should fight every day to prevent," she said.