The idea of the charity started when I wrote a blog about my own difficulties with mental health. The blog received a lot of responses from people I had never met sharing their personal experiences and stories. A lot of these people felt so alone in their experience and did not know where to go nor feel they had anyone to talk to.

These conversations lead to me accompanying individuals I had never met to their first GP appointment so they wouldn't have to go alone. Also simple ideas like meeting in a coffee shop to have a chat and discuss different organisations that could help and then signposting them or helping fill out self referral forms as well as calling organisations. The responses after these meetings were very positive and I was told the simplicity of someone being there made the whole experience a lot less daunting.

I then spoke to friends who had worked in mental health or were psychology students as well as those who had experienced issues in the past and wanted to help others experiencing the same problems. They have offered to create a team of volunteers in beginning a charity so we can really make an impact in helping people overcome their fears of talking about mental health either with a GP or with a friend.

This can impact so many peoples lives 1/4 people suffer with mental illness and with suicide being the biggest killer in the UK I honestly believe if people didn't feel so alone we could tackle this issue. We can help people not feel so alone, that there is someone listening and there will be someone there with them the whole way through the journey!

The charity will help on an individual basis in meeting for coffee, going to GP appointments and just having a general chat. The money raised will go into volunteer expenses, such as travel, a safe meeting enviroment, DBS checks and charity registration fees.

Even if it seems like a tiny donation, every penny can help, that's my promise!

Thank you!

ITS OK NOT TO BE OK