Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving page - it's a long read, but I'd love for you to take the time  to find out more.

Dan and I are aiming to raise £1,000 for York Mind by running a collective 1,000 miles. Be it quick runs, long runs, or races, we want to cover enough miles to get to that thousand!

I'd love to say we'll cover half each, but my awesome hubby is the runner in the family, so much so that he's tackling a 53 mile challenge - Race to the King - over around 12 hours in June! Not a mean feat to say that in 2012 Dan had his whole stomach removed (a gastrectomy) to avoid stomach cancer caused by a faulty gene. He had his stomach tested once it'd been whipped out (in a 6 hour op!!) and he did indeed have stomach cancer. Early stages, but still, he's very, very lucky to be here.

I'll do my bit, and for me running isn't overly easy - I'm not very fit, never have enough time, and all those excuses that get in the way of cracking on. But I get out when I can, and when I do it helps me so much.

See, I've struggled with mental health issues since my teens. I've had 'those' thoughts, I've wondered why I'm here, I have serious anxiety attacks and clinical depression. There are things that have triggered this - losing parents when they, and I, were fairly young, and so many other issues. I know I'm lucky to have a wonderful husband, two brilliant kids and the best of friends and family around me. 

Funny though, there are only a handful of people who know I struggle, and for how long I've suffered, because I've always kept pretty quiet about it. Oh, I can talk and talk about issues in life, why I feel the way I do, and I've had therapies here and there - I'm very open, just not widely.

There's been a huge move for people with depression to talk more, to be more open, and I've actually struggled to 'come out' with my story because I actually felt like telling my story would be seen as jumping on a bandwagon, and I would never want that.

Truth is, I've always suffered from imposter syndrome, from anxiety, from depression - feeling like I'm no good in anything I do - from being a daughter, sister, friend, pupil, to motherhood, relationships, business - well life generally! 

And I feel loss, because there's be so much in my life, and it's not easy. I know it's daft really - I've got a brilliant life, but it's so hard to see past the fog of anxiety and depression. 

I'm so delighted to be working with York Mind as a client, building their new website. But my issues never played a part in the project process, nobody there has a clue I struggle with mental health. 

But knowing there are organisations like York Mind out there to help people who need support, a distraction, a person to listen, and so much more, is amazing. These charities are vital, and we want to do what we can to raise vital funds for the vast amount of people struggling with their mental health. 

We'd love for you to support us, even a pound here and there, to encourage us to get out and cover those miles, and raise money for an amazing cause. Thanks for reading our story.

Anne and Dan 
xx