Riding from Lands End to John O Groats has been a long held ambition. 1,010 miles and over 55,000ft of climbing in just two weeks. That is the same distance from my home in London as Anthens. The climbing is close to ascending Everest twice! Its a big effort so I have decided to raise some funds for some very special children and their remarkable families that would really welcome your support. Rather than supporting one of the big UK-wide charities I have decided to support two smaller organisations that operate at a local level and where I hope your donation can have a real impact.

As many of you will know, prior to my retirement in October I spend 18 years working at Defra with producers, retailers and electrical recyclers to drive up the levels of electrical recycling across the UK. I am cycling from South to North so have chosen to support an organisation close to one of the UKs most southerly electrical recyclers and another close to one of the UKs most northerly electrical recyclers.

Demelza is based in Kent, and Changing Minds with Pick up a Penny is based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. You can choose to donate to either organisation or split your donation between the two

This page is raising funds for Changing Minds Pick Up a Penny Every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, regardless of the challenges they face.

At Changing Minds with Pick Up a Penny CIC, we support children and young people experiencing physical, emotional, behavioural, developmental and mental health difficulties by looking beyond the diagnosis or presenting symptoms. Rather than asking, "What's wrong with this child?", we ask, "What has happened to this child, and what does this child need to flourish?"

Our work is centred on understanding each child as a unique individual. We recognise that every child's experiences, biology, environment and relationships are different, so there is never a one-size-fits-all approach.

We work with the whole family, not just the child. Parents and carers are integral to a child's recovery and development, and we provide education, guidance and practical support to empower families with the knowledge and confidence to continue that journey at home.

Our approach begins with physiological wellbeing because the brain cannot function at its best if the body is under stress. We explore factors such as sleep quality, breathing patterns, nutrition, gut health, inflammation, sensory regulation and nervous system function, recognising that these can all have a profound impact on behaviour, emotional regulation, learning and overall wellbeing.

Where appropriate, children may also benefit from evidence-informed therapies such as psychotherapy, EMDR, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), photobiomodulation (red and near-infrared light therapy), breathing retraining, neurofeedback, biofeedback and personalised functional health recommendations. Every recommendation is tailored to the individual child and their family's circumstances.

Many of the families we support have exhausted conventional pathways and are searching for hope. Through your generosity, we can continue providing life-changing assessments, therapies and support to children who might otherwise be unable to access them.

Together, we can help children build resilience, improve their physical and emotional wellbeing, strengthen family relationships and create brighter futures, one child, one family and one step at a time.

If you'd like to see the difference we make to children and their families, please click the link below to hear Shannon share her son Lucas's journey and the impact our support has had on their lives.

https://vimeo.com/1162648308/ae331d3a70

Every donation, no matter how small, helps us change lives. Thank you for being part of that journey. You can donate to Demelza at https://www.justgiving.com/page/graeme-vickery-demelza?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL