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With the mantra “treat people with kindness”, it’s no shock that Harry Styles fans have come up with a way to work together and support others during the recent tough times.
Ellie-Mae Clarke, an avid Styles fan from Liverpool, has created the ‘Fine Line to 5k’ project with the aim of raising as much money as possible for different charities each month.
Whilst bringing people together all over the world, the 26-year-old hopes that this project will keep those taking part physically healthy as well as giving them the much-needed boost during a time that has been incredibly difficult to us all.
Having got the inspiration from being involved in a similar event, Ellie-Mae combined this with her knowledge of how powerful fandoms can be. She said: “In December last year, I was involved in a similar event.
“I ran a sponsored 5K to raise money for a children’s hospice and when I saw the turnout for the event, I was so inspired to see all those people come together and raise so much money in such a simple way.
“I’ve seen firsthand how giving, dedicated and powerful the Harry Styles fandom is, and during a time when charities are really struggling with fundraising, I figured now would be the perfect time to try and lend some support.”
She also commented on the reasons the project is Harry Styles inspired. She said: “I’ve been a passionate supporter of Harry since his very first audition on The X Factor.
“He’s been such a huge part of my life and honestly, I’ve learned so much from him. I think he’s a brilliant role model.
“One of the biggest ways that he inspires me is that he constantly supports and gives back to others without question.
“Kindness costs nothing and I think Harry has been the number one advocate for showing that.
“He’s not only helped me be kinder to others but also to myself and seeing as I’ve supported him for so long, the inspiration for the project came together very naturally.”
The year-long event that started during lockdown has also given many fans a reason to get out of the house. Ellie-Mae told us: “I figured it would be perfect to launch it at the start of the year, even during lockdown, because I figured it would give people a fun challenge.
“I’ve had so many first-time runners taking part, people walking, and one person even went skiing for theirs!
“A lot of the messages I’ve received from people during lockdown were telling me that I’ve given them something to look forward to and given them a reason to get out of the house.
“Getting told that makes me feel overwhelmingly proud because it’s the little things that I feel really make a difference right now and the project has had nothing but positive responses so far.”
So far, the fan-based project has supported charities such as The Brain Tumour Charity, Parkinson’s UK and Beat Eating Disorders amongst others.
Changing the charity each month allows the fans to give back on a wider spectrum and help raise awareness for multiple much-needed causes at once.
Ellie-Mae spoke about how using your voice for these types of topics are vital and that it is important for people to use their platforms to raise further awareness. She said: “The way I see it is, one more voice equals one more listener.
“The saying I’ve always loved is “be the change you want to see in the world” and raising your voice is a good way to start.
“I think it’s important for anyone with any type of platform to use it positively.
“The thing with social media is that it’s there for anyone and everyone to see and you never know who could be seeing what you’re posting.
“Even if those posts only brings one more person on board, that’s one more person than you had before and one more step towards making a difference.”
The fan-based project that originated from her bedroom has had such a positive impact on the fanbase and it is shocking to see the influence just one celebrities fandom can have.
When banded together, fandoms appear to be a force of nature and are unstoppable in their mission. Ellie-Mae added: “A fandom’s reach on social media is huge which allows something like this to be seen worldwide instead of just being a fun idea I cooked up in my brain one night thinking it would only reach a few hundred.
“You only have to look at what fans did in honour of Harry’s birthday to see the power they have and how generous they are with their support.
“It’s astounding and I think fandoms are the best people to spread the word about any cause whether it be big or small.
“No one should ever underestimate the power of any fandom.”
There are multiple ways to get involved in the ‘Fine Line to 5k’ project. Head to their website to find out more information here: https://www.fineline5k.com