Lisa Jones
Lisa's 350km, 5 day cycle across Rajhastan ...
Fundraising for BODY & SOUL
Story
Some of you will know about my daughter's brave battle with serious mental health issues over the last two years. She has been on a terrible journey and the strength and determination that she has shown, in the face of such hopelessness and misery, has been humbling and inspiring. She is emerging from the other side an even more extraordinary woman and will this month be taking up the university place that she had to defer. I am unutterably proud of her.
Believe everything you read about the crisis that the under-funded, over-stretched NHS mental health service is in, however. They have a thumb in a dam that is holding back a tidal wave of i-Generation mental health problems. Between 2011 and 2014, self harming in teenage girls increased by 68%. In 2015, 1,659 young people in the UK took their own lives - that's four per day - and suicide is now the biggest killer of under 35s. We are hitting crisis point.
One little known charity that is trying to stem this tide and pick up the NHS short[long]fall is Body and Soul - an Islington-based team of specialists that is quietly saving young lives and has been an absolute lifeline; providing weekly therapy and group therapy, outreach programmes and compassionate support and advice for both her and the family. As they explain ...
"Body & Soul provides each of our members (service-users) with a tailored package of care and support including group workshops, counselling and therapies, remote peer support, casework and advocacy, legal clinics, nutritional advice, and education and employment coaching. We also run an educational outreach programme which raises awareness of the stigma our members’ face and empowers young people through empathy and compassion to understand the detrimental impact of adverse childhood experiences on public health and well-being.We believe in the transformational power of love to heal the trauma of childhood adversity, giving people of all ages strength to face the past and hope for the future."
But, of course, money is short and demand is increasingly great. So, to try and return their support in a small way, to thank them and to pay tribute to my incredible daughter's courage and strength of character, I will be cycling across 350km of Rajhastan over five days for up to eight hours per day to raise much-needed funds for them.
The trip will start in Jaipur on 16th November, cross the Aravalli Hills and finish at the Taj Mahal. It is paid for by me, to be clear, so every penny donated will go to Body and Soul. Please can you help me raise £1,000 to help them continue their life-saving work? If you could all manage to pledge £5, I'd be there ...
Much love,
L x