We are currently deployed on operations over on a UN Peacekeeping tour of Cyprus. The charity event we are going to be doing is running the length of the Cyprus Buffer Zone (180km) over 10 days. Ideally we will do 10 consecutive days of 18km however some days we may do slightly more or less depending on our duties. 

We are doing this run in memory of Amanda Wallace who sadly took her own life on 16/09/2020, aged 27. Amanda was the partner of one of our serving soldiers and had had a long battle with mental health. Even though on the outside nobody ever really knew the struggles that Amanda faced as she would always wear a smile on her face behind closed doors it could be a completely different story. Sadly she suffered from depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Amanda really did try her best to improve her mental wellbeing but as time went on things started to go downhill. She tried various charities, groups and organisations and nobody really seemed to be able to or willing to help her move forward, the only exception to this was Dudley Mind. Amanda went to group meetings there where she met people who truly had an understanding of what she was going through. It was the only time I actually saw an outside organisation helping Amanda move in the direction and where she benefited from attending.

The reason we'd like to specifically raise money for Dudley Mind is because I have seen the good that they do and that they really can make a difference to someone's life. Hopefully we can raise some awareness to just how big a problem mental health really is.

RIP Amanda and to everyone else who sadly saw no other way out.