I set up MHRUK because as a lawyer I found that I made little impact and couldn't help many of my clients who sought discharge from psychiatric hospitals since the current treatments hadn't worked and they remained unwell.  I couldn't believe that there was no UK charity dedicated to funding research into mental illness.  So in 2008 I set up MHRUK with my good friend John Grace QC (who sadly passed away last year), and Professor Clair Chilvers.  We want to help researchers develop better treatments that work for more people because the causes of the mental health difficulties are properly understood.  With regard to medication, we want to see researchers developing drugs which don't cause nasty side-effects - side-effects which are sometimes equal to or worse than the symptoms of the illness. 

If you know me, you'll know how dear this cause is to me. If you don't know me, then you're probably looking at my fundraising page because you have a similar wish to transform lives and make a difference in the long-term.  Unlike many charities, MURUK pledges to give at least 95% of all donations directly to the actual research - not to admin - which will change things for future generations. Please give generously! If you pay taxes, I'd be so grateful if you could also add giftaid.

I've decided I would like to earmark any money donated for this challenge towards the John Grace QC Scholarship which was set up in memory of John.  I will think of him when I reach the summit.  He would have loved to have climbed Kilimanjaro, and he would have been very enthusiastic about me doing so.  We have already given this new scholarship out to its first recipient after a competitive process. I want to ensure that it continues and we hope that it will be an annual award. Please help enable this to happen.  

Thank you all so much!