A 63-year-old grandad is set to run a total of 12 races in 12 months in aid of a mental health charity in Kent.

Ray Ellis, a dad-of-three and grandfather-of-three, has been running at least one race a month and hopes to complete a total of 800 miles, including training, between now and August 2015.

He has suffered from a life-long battle with depression, and is carrying out the challenge in a bid to raise awareness and funds for Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Edenbridge Area Mind.

He said: "An astonishing one in four of us will experience a mental health problem in the course of a year and need help and support.

"Mental illness is insidious. It can destroy otherwise wonderful people and have a distressing and sometimes devastating effect on their families.

"Yet sadly, ignorance and even stigma and silence still exist around mental health issues; problems that Sevenoaks Area Mind is tackling in a number of ways.

"I too have a life-long experience of depression, and I am a runner. Running is known to help with wellbeing. So I run. However I don’t usually run quite so many races as I plan to be doing over 2014-15.

"My aim is to run the equivalent of one race a month, which at my age means I will be feeling permanently tired! But it will be well worth it."

Mr Ellis, of Cranford Road in Tonbridge, carried out his first race on Sunday, September 7 in the Weald St George's 10km and then took part in the Tonbridge Half Marathon on Sunday, September 28.

"I started the Tonbridge race with nowhere near the usual amount of training miles under my belt and it is one really tough race," he added.

"So not surprisingly I found it really hard going. So much so, in fact, that a friend literally dragged me the last 400 metres to the finish line. But the race was oh, so satisfying.

"It is amazing the happiness running brings me, and it means I don't dwell on things and have something to look forward to."

After the race he met up with the Mayor of Tonbridge and Malling, Cllr Sasha Luck for a picture and chat about his project.

Mr Ellis's next challenges are the Orpington 10k next Sunday and the Poppy Half Marathon in Bexhill on Saturday, November 8.

For more info or to donate visit: http://raysrunningcommentary.tumblr.com/