Three friends are running a half marathon covering major sights to raise funds for mental health.

Denise Bettey, Emma Williams and Dotty King are training hard for the London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 12 in aid of Mental Health UK.

The route starts outside Whitehall, then taking runners through historic Westminster, before heading down the Embankment and experiencing views of the landmarks along the River Thames to finish on Trafalgar Square.

It is a fast and flat course and from Big Ben and St Paul’s Cathedral to the Tower of London, The Shard, and the London Eye, every mile covers London’s history and character.

The friends have been running together for fun for several years in the Tavistock area, often on Dartmoor and covering the popular Tavistock Half Marathon route and further afield in road and multi-terrain races.

Denise Bettey, of Clearbrook said: “We chose Mental Health Uk because I’ve seen mental health affect some close family and friends for the past 15 years.

“Watching how difficult it was to understand from an outsider’s prospective was really hard. Back 15 years ago there wasn’t the support from doctors and groups and there was almost a stigma about mental health and people openly talking about it.

“It’s been great to see over the last ten years lots of charities beginning to get fundraising which is making a big difference. It would be great to keep charities like Mental Health UK supported so people can keep getting support they need. I can’t wait for the challenge and hopefully raise lots of money doing it.”

Dotty King, an experienced running coach and shopkeeper in Tavistock, said: “We wanted to do something challenging and at the same time support people with mental health struggles. We all know someone who needs help and Mental Health UK offers practical programmes to people.”

Dotty is also staging an online prize raffle draw on Sunday, March 29 at 1pm. Tickets can be bought at Dots Teas shop in Tavistock Pannier Market or by donating to the run at her Just Giving page. Entrants do not have to be present to win. The winner will notified after the draw takes place.

The runners are also asking if any traders can donate raffle prizes, and are grateful for those already generously provided.

Mental Health UK tackles the barriers holding people back, providing practical tools and support to help them thrive at home, at school and at work.

A spokesman said: “We tackle some of the biggest pressures affecting mental wellbeing. This includes money worries and navigating support/benefit systems, to understanding mental health, combating loneliness, and building resilience in young people. We give people the tools and guidance they need to thrive at home, at school, and at work.”

See more about Mental Health UK at this link: https://mentalhealth-uk.org/about-us/

To donate to Dotty King’s Just Giving page for Dotty’s Birds appeal for Mental Health UK visit: https://tinyurl.com/yp6xh45f or