'I'm running the marathon for my husband who took his life'

"In our darkest time, they stepped in and changed our lives."

Sarah Fletcher's world fell apart when her husband Shaun took his life on Christmas Eve 2024.

The mum-of-six had no idea how much he was struggling with his mental health.

Shaun was an electrician and worked seven days a week to provide for his children, including their son Toby who has cerebral palsy, and their two grandchildren.

He started renovating the family home in 2017 in the little spare time he had, to try to make it more suitable for their son.

"If he wasn't working, he was trying to complete this extension for Toby," Sarah says.

Toby, who is 16, requires round-the-clock care and Sarah was having to carry him up and down the stairs to his bedroom.

Sarah, who lives in Foulden in Norfolk, said Shaun was "stressed and very busy". But there were no real signs of how bad things had got for him.

After he died, Sarah's friend told her about Band of Builders, based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, which supports construction workers and their families.

Volunteers from the charity stepped in to complete the work, including a downstairs bedroom and wet room for Toby.

Sarah is now running the London Marathon with her 26-year-old daughter Elise in memory of her husband, and as a way to thank the volunteers and raise money for future projects.

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"This run is a way of saying thank you. It is a way of helping others. And most importantly, it is a tribute to Shaun," she says.

The 47-year-old believes the work on the house is part of his legacy.

"He would have been so happy that the work was completed. It has really transformed our lives."

Band of Builders, which also offers mental health support to construction workers, agreed to take it on as its 45th building project.

It said it had received a record-breaking response to the appeal for volunteers, with 150 tradesmen and women coming forward to work on the house.

"We will never be able to thank the charity enough," Sarah says.

"Every volunteer who gave their time, effort and compassion to help us was nothing short of a hero. Their kindness and generosity meant more than words can ever fully express.

"I hope the funds raised will help them continue their amazing work and support other families who may find themselves facing similar challenges."

The charity is currently helping a builder who cannot complete renovations on his family home in Ipswich, after undergoing treatment for cancer of the spine.

Band of Builders' CEO Gavin Crane said: "We are very grateful that Sarah and Elise are raising both awareness and funds for our charity, so that we can continue to support other tradespeople and their families across the UK who are facing crisis.

"More importantly though, the community will be cheering Sarah and Elise on as they are running in tribute to Shaun."

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