A runner from Sheffield has pledged to raise £1000 for a charity that she said “saved her life” when she was a teenager.

Amelia Sharpe, now 21, of Endcliffe Village, ran the Half-Marathon for the charity SRASAC in March.

The charity supports people in Sheffield that have experienced sexual violence and assault by offering free counselling and support to rebuild their lives after trauma. The charity relies solely on donations.

Miss Sharpe said: “The counselling team saved my life. When I felt like my world had ended, and I couldn’t see a way out, SRASAC was a lifeline. I was 17. I am eternally indebted to these wonderful people for their support – support that wouldn’t have been possible without donations and fundraising from people just like me and you.” 

Miss Sharpe said: “The race was really hard. I was ill on the day so breathing was a task.

“It was eight kilometres uphill at the start so because it’s such a long time I think it’s more of a mental game to keep going. 

“I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without all the people supporting me.”

Miss Sharpe additionally runs a pilates class, Pilates with Amelia Frances, for a donation fee which goes towards the charity. These classes focus on healing, strengthening and balancing the mind and body. 

She added: “Don’t be afraid to use all the help that’s available, whether that’s friends and family, whether it’s charities like SRASAC or any other sort of talking groups or even online support. 

“I think it’s very easy for people to shy away and stay by themselves and hide away from the world but things get a lot easier when you do the scary thing and ask for help.”

While Miss Sharpe does not plan to run any more marathons for the foreseeable future, she intends to continue fundraising for SRASAC with her pilates classes.