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 This August I am doing something life changing, I will be trekking the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I am doing this to raise money for the wonderful local charity that is Tyneside and Northumberland Mind. Mental Health and wellbeing is very important to me and close to my heart. I believe that seeking help to support your mental health should be stigma free and easily accessible much like just going to the dentists. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case and that is why we are fortunate enough to have a charity such as Tyneside and Northumberland Mind who are there to support people in need. They challenge stigma around mental health providing a supporting environment for recovery and are inclusive for all.

I have struggled at times with poor mental health particularly when I was a teenager and was living alone at the age of 15 in a flat that had 2 windows, with no family and only my fish for company. I know what it is like to feel isolated, ignored, weak, scared, depressed and socially excluded. I believe with an open culture of talking about mental health, sharing tips for self-care and organizations like Tyneside and Northumberland Mind recovery is completely possible as is having a life worth living.

So this trek sounds pretty hardcore doesn’t it, and you may think I have always been sporty however this is not the case almost all of my life I have detested physical exercise never feeling my body was capable of great sporting achievements. One day something just clicked and I thought why can’t I be capable of such things, why have I put limits on myself and so I began pushing myself for different challenges. First was the challenge of being a gym goer, next was the running; sport runs, fun runs, 5k and 10k runs, open water swimming, body boarding, and skydiving out of a plane at 12,000 Feet!! and then shock horror I started going on hikes .... for fun!!!

I heard about the Grand Canyon trek and the pictures of it’s beauty blew my mind. I thought of those people that get to witness it and the adventure it holds and I thought .. "Could it be me? Could I do that?" What I want is for my story and this adventure to give hope to others, particularly those with poor mental health ad to let them know that no matter how dark the box they are in is or how lost they may feel that things do get better, there is always resilience running through our veins and the beauty of the world is always there for us to enjoy and make us feel better and most importantly with organizations such as Tyneside and Northumberland Mind you are never alone.

Thank you and wish me luck :)

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