Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

What am I doing? Well, I am challenging myself to run 52% further than ever before! This 82 mile challenge starts in Windermere and finishes in Ilkley and is to be completed in one push (no sleeping or stopping other than to refuel supplies). This cross dales route is (unsurprisingly) hilly and full of my least favourite obstacles - cows!!  

Why am I doing this?

Well, during the 5+ years I have worked on the Psychological Wellbeing Programme  I have seen first hand the difference the PTC can make to an Officers wellbeing . There has also been a 74% increase in attendance in that time. The PTC in Harrogate has therefore recently completed an extension to its Centres, offering more capacity to meet the increasing demand for Wellbeing Services across Police Forces nationally.

Officers attend for a variety of reasons, presenting with burnout, anxiety, depression, PTSD to name a few. These can be related to events on or off duty, but frequently are a mixture of both. Statistics show that Police are susceptible to these challenges due to the nature of 'the job' and its working patterns, yet for many seeking help is still a massive step. 

I'd like to raise more funds so the steady stream of resources required to meet these needs can continue and grow; trauma is becoming more understood and recognised in the police and I would like to raise awareness of this. To put some perspective on this it is estimated that ordinary life exposes people to 3-4 traumatic events, for the average policing career it is 400-600 events and at least 1 in 5 develop full PTSD. 

Aside from my work at the PTC, I have also been humbled by the private and often unbelievable accounts provided by Officers contributing to my PhD research and at home I cannot escape the police lifestyle either. In all this is an area I feel very strongly about. 

In order for the Centre to ensure that it can continue to provide the essential service to the Police Family when they need it most, they need to fundraise. Which is why I have decided to do my bit and help a charity close to my heart!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.