From Volunteer to Fundraiser: Making a Difference for Mental Health

Mental health has always been close to my heart. My journey began as a student volunteer with London Nightline, where I witnessed first hand the profound difference a listening ear can make. I saw students reach out during their toughest moments, and provided support during many non-judgemental phone calls and online chats. As well as seeing how important the Nightline support is for so many people, my time spent volunteering as part of that community was so important for me too.

After graduating I found myself wanting to create a positive wellbeing space that could bring women together to embrace both their love for moving their bodies and the vibrant energy of city life. That’s how my run club, Running Late, was born! I started Running Late because I wanted to encourage women to be active and to show that you don’t need to wake up at the crack of dawn every weekend to enjoy running! In the bustling city that is London, you should be able to have a nice lie-in but still get that community feel when running later in the day.

I have always been passionate about mental health, so bringing these two parts of my life together felt natural. It’s also played a huge part in shaping my career. And for a new challenge this year, I decided to team up with London Nightline to raise awareness about student mental health, and fundraise for a charity that means so much to me.

Together, eight of us from Running Late are going to be running the Hackney Half marathon in May 2026 in aid of Nightline. We hope to raise over £3,000 which will make such a difference for student mental health support in London.

My sponsorship page can be found here and any donations are welcome. I’m so proud of the Running Late community, and I can’t wait to see what we’re able to raise for London Nightline!

By Maheen Shariff