Support workers Ted and Joe are putting their good advice into practice and setting themselves a challenge.
The duo will be raising funds for St Martins by running the Norfolk marathon on April 13.
Ted Tyce and Joe Sampson will be raising money for the Safe and Habitable Homes initiative, which is a partnership project between Norwich City Council and St Martins assisting people who have problems with hoarding and self-neglect. Joe said, “Every day we motivate people to set themselves goals so they can move towards living in a more healthy and homely environment. We decided that if we are expecting others to challenge themselves, we should take something on too.”
Ted and Joe have been training individually during the week, and completing long runs together at the weekends, recruiting colleagues and friends to join them on their practice runs too.
Joe has been part of the Safe and Habitable Homes project since it started in early 2023 and Ted joined more recently, having worked for St Martins for several years. They each have their own case load of clients and work together when needed, such as when clearing items from a person’s home.
Norwich residents are referred to the project when they have significant challenges, which include poor mental health and problematic hoarding which puts their health and housing at risk. The service is person-centred and trauma-informed, meaning that project workers spend time getting to know each person and developing a plan to reduce clutter and improve their wellbeing. Ted said, “Supporting people with poor mental health is not a quick fix. A lot of people are entrenched in their behaviour, and it takes time and energy to help them make changes. A lot of the issues people face feel like a marathon, and we help to break it down into manageable steps, keeping the vision of the end goal in sight.”
Ted and Joe’s end goal is the finish line of the Norfolk marathon, which is held in the Cromer area. They are looking forward to the challenge and to have something to focus on together, while raising money to give something back to the project. Funds raised will go to St Martins to support people on the Safe and Habitable Homes project.
Click here to donate https://justgiving.com/campaign/ted-and-joe