Having just got home from work on New Year's Eve, with no training whatsoever, I've decided to take part in the R.E.D January campaign to raise money for Mind but more importantly to raise a greater awareness and understanding of mental health. Something very close to my heart after overcoming PTSD that caused me to have severe panic attacks and anxiety.

I'm not very good at running, nor do I pretend to know what I'm doing, but I do know that running helped me focus my flight or fight energy into something positive and it's scientifically proven to help everyday mental well being. So I want to do my little bit to raise awareness of the fact that exercise is a great tool in supporting mental health as well as get back into it for my own benefit!

Mind are an amazing charity and without their constant campaigning, local hubs, open call lines, and boundless information available to everyone through their website on mental health awareness; access to help and the legal system would be in a much poorer state than it is today. We still have a long way to go to remove the stigma from mental health, I struggle to comprehend how something as basic as chemical imbalances in the brain are not taken seriously enough just because they're not visible. So... let's change that and kick start the New Year by raising some awareness and money for a good cause!

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.