Sophie Mei

Sheffield played host to eight thousand runners as part of the Bupa Great Yorkshire 10k Run last Sunday. One of whom was Eastender’s Nasty Nick who hurtled to the ground during the race.

The incident happened as the runners headed for Hillsborough football ground to reach the 5k mark. John Altman AKA ‘Nasty Nick’ sprinted in front of Richard McCourt “Dick” (from ‘Dick and Dom’) and tripped on a pothole, which sent him to the ground.

Altman who had his bleeding hand bandaged at the finish line said:

“It was quite a shock as I had just been gazing up at Hillsborough football ground and like them, I too went down.

I do hope to be in Sheffield again however, either for next year’s race or with my band at the 02 Academy.”

John Altman has now left the East End for a career in Rock music as he has recently set up his new band ‘Heavy Metal Kids.’ You can watch their first single ‘Uncontrollable’ here.

Amongst the elite athletes, running clubs and amateur runners were a few other familiar faces from Emmerdale, Coronation St and Eastenders.

Bupa’s nominated charity this year was the Alzheimer’s Society, which I ran for along with eight hundred others.  One of whom was Sheffield’s Richard McCourt AKA ‘Dick’ from the duo ‘Dick and Dom.’

Richard McCourt was back on home turf for the weekend to participate in the run and see his Sheffield-based family, which includes his mother who suffers from dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society Director of Fundraising and Marketing, Jo Swinhoe, said: ‘We really appreciate the efforts of everyone who fundraises for us as we rely on voluntary income to support people with dementia and their carers and undertake our vital dementia research.

The 10k race was finished off by a fun run for kids and a ‘Bands on the Run’ stage in Sheffield’s Peace Gardens.

By  Sophie Mei

Sheffield played host to eight thousand runners as part of the Bupa Great Yorkshire 10k run on Sunday 6^th September 2010.

Amongst the elite athletes, running clubs and amateur runners were a few familiar faces from Emmerdale, Coronation St and Eastenders.

Bupa’s nominated charity this year was the Alzheimer’s Society, which I ran for along with eight hundred others. Two of whom were Eastender’s John Altman AKA ‘Nasty Nick’ and Sheffield’s Richard McCourt AKA ‘Dick’ from the duo ‘Dick and Dom.’

The pair has experience of close relatives suffering from Dementia and avidly continues to support the charity.

John Altman has now left the East End for a career in Rock music as he has recently set up his new band ‘Heavy Metal Kids.’ You can watch their first single ‘Uncontrollable’ here.

Richard McCourt was back on home turf for the weekend to participate in the run and see his Sheffield-based family, which includes his mother who is currently suffers from dementia.

The 10k race was finished off by a fun run for kids and a ‘Bands on the Run’ stage in Sheffield’s Peace Gardens.

Reality TV on the verge of a breakdown?

- Reality is ‘mental’

“ All people who go on reality TV are psychotic,” I overheard an elderly lady say the other day.

This opinion came as no surprise to me as it is widely believed that reality TV is an ‘abattoir’ for the insane as well as for the mundane human.

Then again, 11million of us tuned in to watch 2010’s first episode of the X Factor. I am ashamed to say I forgot and went out for a drink.

Although there have been two big waves of publicity since, such as the singer Gamu Nenghu who had been auto-tuned, much to the public’s disgust therefore, the poor staff have to re-produce all the episodes to not include auto-tune. I guess it’s like the debate between allowing notes into an exam.

Axed X Factor hopeful Shirlena Johnson, from east London, begged TV bosses to take her back, after The Sun’s untactful revealed that she has mental health issues. Nonetheless, Rethink (a mental health charity) condemned The Sun for their reckless write-up that described Shirlena as a ‘ticking time bomb.’

Whatever the truth is of the story it is not for the public/unqualified specialists to cast aspersions on people’s mental health. If it is being reported on, one must be mindful to not cause offence and spread stigma as 1 in 4 of us will suffer from a mental health issue in our lifetimes.

Read the Time to Change blog here

Some issues that really do matter and, others that just amaze MEI…

Coming up there is everything from reality TV to health, crime and the Olympics. Just click on the link to read more…

- Reality is ‘mental’: Has the nation gone mad or the media?

- Olympic Gold: Athlete’s may have to settle for bronze

- Trapped: have you ever been trapped for a substantial length of time?

- Exam Results: It’s pointless blowing your own flute

- Worldwide web: the addiction

- Social networking: Crime or Just Business

- Pope pops in: 16th September 2010

- Beauty and the Beastly: Channel 4 on beauty

- Commoditisation: Should we pay people to donate eggs, sperm and organs?

- Time to Change: Sheffield and beyond

- Get Moving Week: Mind Charity

- Weird Websites: Finally found what you’ve been looking for?

- Bye bye BLOCKBUSTER

- Cheaters: Sport faces a challenge

Fake blood, sweat and bets..

Photo call

WHAT:    Local celebrity Sophie Mei will announce sports bra manufacturers Shock Absorber’s support for Alzheimer’s Society.  Sophie will model the sports bra she’ll be wearing in the Bupa Great Yorkshire Run on 5 September in Sheffield and call for people to join her on the run.
Sophie is supporting Alzheimer’s Society, Bupa’s nominated charity for the

2010 Bupa Great Run Series.

WHEN: Photocall takes place: 11.30am‚ Thursday 2 September, 2010

WHO: Sophie Mei – semi-finalist of Britain’s Got Talent, belly dancing instructor, media presenter and charity supporter.