Hello!

I'm Amber & I hate running.

On November 24th 2024 I will be running the Larking Gowen Norwich half-marathon. Every now-and-again I like to do 5km on the treadmill, and I last ran 10km in 2017. It will not be quick, and it will not be pretty, and everyone I've told about it has had a similar response "....Why? How? You hate running!".

The 'why' is easier to answer than the 'how' - I'm doing it to fundraise for Cup-O-T: Wellness and Therapy Services. I joined the Cup-O-T team part-time 2.5 years ago, and full-time earlier in 2024 and have the great privilege of seeing first hand the difference that our service can make for the young people that we work with.

Locally (and nationally) NHS waiting lists for young people's mental health services are huge, and I see this not just at work but in my personal life with family and friends. I can't 'fix' the waiting lists, but services like Cup-O-T are providing vital support to those individuals who aren't being seen. We'd like to be able to offer more - so as part of a terribly impulsive fundraising plan formed on a cinema trip I'm going on a run.

Cup-O-T provides accessible, creative, evidence-based mental health support and training to empower communities, young people, and families. There are outdoor-based occupational therapy programmes, as well as one-to-one occupational therapy, family, and community sessions across Norfolk for people aged 7-25 and their families.

At the core of the work we do there is an emphasis on working with the people we support on the things that matter to them - having a truly person-centred approach to support people to make lasting changes to their lives.

Any donations would be hugely appreciated - I will update the page with progress I'm making (which will be slow), and everyone is very welcome to come and watch me crawl across the finish line on the 24th November. Thank you!!