Suicide campaigner plans Premier League grounds run

Matthew Smith founded If U Care Share with his family after his brother Daniel took his own life

A man who founded a suicide prevention and bereavement support charity after his brother died is planning to run to every Premier League stadium to help affected families.

Matthew Smith from If U Care Share will begin the challenge in August and is aiming to run about 800 miles (1,287km) .

He will start in Bournemouth and finish at the league's most northern club, Newcastle United, with a hope of covering 30 miles (48km) a day.

"I always said I wanted to prevent one brother going through what I went through," Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith was 10 years old when he lost his brother Daniel, 19, to suicide in 2005.

They and their brother Ben shared a love of football and a passion for Newcastle United.

The brothers helped create the Chester-le-Street-based charity If U Care Share to use football to start conversations about mental health in the north east of England.

'Horrendous times'

He said: "When it comes to audiences that find it challenging to talk about a really difficult subject matter, football gives that platform and gives that opportunity.

"We want to use these communities to have these really life-changing and life-saving conversations."

Mr Smith, who has completed numerous fundraising events over the years, said this challenge was more important than ever because the charity had been forced to scale back its services due to a lack of funding.

"We still have the mission and we still have so many people that need our help so we have to carry on," he said.

Mr Smith added: "We're just normal people trying to help others who are going through the most horrendous, challenging times."