A Sunday League manager who has lost five friends to suicide has spoken about the impact it has had on his own life.

Drew Scaife, like many in Thanet in recent years, has seen the devastating effect mental health problems can have on loved ones.

The 30-year-old admits he could never have imagined losing one friend to suicide, let alone five.

“I understand mental health,” said Mr Scaife, who runs Margate-based company Target Fundraising Services.

“I see first hand through my work with charities, but also sadly on a personal level.”

Mr Scaife’s close friend Lee Thrumble, 26, took his own life in 2018. Just over a year later, in June 2019, Lee’s brother, Ben Stone, 34, was found dead in Tivoli Woods in Margate.

A month before, another acquaintance of Mr Scaife, Marc Wood, 30, also took his life, in Dumpton Park Drive in Ramsgate.

His death followed that of Paul Connell, 33, who fell from cliffs near King George VI park, in the March of that year.

Mr Scaife says before losing Lee, Ben and Marc, another pal, Sean Robinson, had taken his life years earlier.

To add to the tragic losses, his friend Andrew Lee then died after falling from a building in Margate in April last year.

“This is something that needs to be looked at and worked on,” he said.

“A charity football match was held a couple of years ago after all the tragic deaths in 2019 for Speak Up CIC so I wanted to build on that.”

The charity provides support for people with mental health problems and also helps in the development of local services.

Mr Scaife says he was concerned about the impact lockdown was having on his football team Dolphin Kings United and so decided he needed to take action.

Challenging the players, and others, to complete a marathon over the course of the month he hopes it will not only help keep them mentally stronger, but raise funds for vital services.

He’s been supported by Lee and Ben’s brother Adam Thrumble, and the Camden Arms FC, as well as Cramptons FC, Bradstow Albion FC, South Eastern Tavern FC, Imperial Lounge FC and The Dolphin FC.

“It’s been hard - football is a release for players, so not having this is very difficult,” he said. “The culture of Sunday League is also the pub and obviously these are shut, and it’s not good to be sat at home drinking on your own.”

He says lockdown has been a difficult journey for Dolphin Kings Utd who had been going from strength to strength and about to play SE Dons in the Kent Cup Final, which has been postponed.

“To help motivate my boys, give them a release like they get from football and to help them step away from any vices, I thought I’d set something up,” he said.

“I just feel like at a time like this, everyone is getting so depressed - it’s really affecting people’s mental health.

“When you get out there, start running and come back sweating, your whole world can feel like it’s changed in just 20 minutes or so.

“Thanet has been in lockdown for such a long time, it feels like longer than anywhere because we were in Tier 4, too.

“I also wanted to show some togetherness and to give something back to the community, which has been hit hard with suicide.

“It was only going to be five teams, but it’s sort of blown up, with many more involved.”

There are now 137 participants taking on the challenge and the initial fundraising target of £2,500 has been smashed and now stands at almost £3,300, just a week after its launch.

Mr Scaife added: “Remember that every time you’re running, it benefits someone else - it’s for someone to have a better future. It could even help save a life. Let’s try to engage as many people as we can - the worst thing to do is nothing.”

The marathon challenge, which is being supported by The York Arms, Ashworth Carpentry Design & Build, Please Sir, Prospects UK and LME Scaffolding & Boiler, runs throughout February.

“Without these guys and football teams helping, it wouldn’t have got anywhere near the heights its achieving now and everyone one of them deserves credit as much as anyone,” he added.

Click here for more information and to donate to the fundraiser visit the gofundme page.

For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116 123 at any time.

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