*DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE*

NEW CHALLENGE: 48HR 100KM Ultra Marathon covering 5642M of elevation in aid of CALM

As you may already know, the Brecon Ascent challenge in April, which close friends (Bec, Dave, Jai, Mark, Nick and Rob) were all training so hard for, was unfortunately cancelled due to the devastating coronavirus pandemic. 

However, mental health issues in the UK (and worldwide) have not gone away. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives. And 75% of all UK suicides are male. This global pandemic has caused exceptionally challenging and worrying times, and is having a huge impact on our mental health and wellbeing; and will continue to have long lasting effects. So it’s absolutely crucial we continue to raise awareness for such an important cause.

With help from the incredible The Commando Temple, and following all of the UK government guidelines, the challenge has been re-jigged so it’s 100% COVID-secure. It’s just as tough, if not tougher than the original plan. Over the weekend of 5-6 December 2020, in the freezing cold, the team will still aim to cover similar elevation over 48 hours, all socially distanced. But instead of the gruelling yet picturesque Brecon Beacons, with a nights sleep in-between, the team will now be walking non-stop, with no sleep, up and down the same single hill in London, until they hit 100+km and the height of the highest mountain in Europe - Mt Elbrus (5642m elevation). That’s climbing Mt Snowden 5 times!!

So please help the team, help those who are in desperate need, and support The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) however you can - by sharing this post, showing your support online or by donating if you’re in a position to. 

Thank you so much to those who have already supported the challenge so far. The team will aim to post updates throughout where possible, and keep you informed once they (hopefully) finish. Wish them luck! 

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PREVIOUS CHALLENGE: Brecon Ascent: 48 hour double mountain marathon covering 6000M of elevation in aid of CALM

On 18 and 19 April 2020, a team of six arts folk (Bec, Dave, Jai, Mark, Nick and Rob) will be taking on the Brecon Ascent challenge, a double mountain marathon in the harsh terrain of the Welsh peaks to raise money for Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

This super endurance event is a 48 hour, 52.4 mile loaded military march in the Brecon Beacons. The team will be trekking for around 16 hours per day, reaching elevation of up to 3000 metres per day. That’s the equivalent of climbing Mount Snowdon (the highest mountain in Wales) back to back three times per day! Or scaling the Burj Khalifa (the tallest building in the world) three and a half times per day!!

Since September 2019, the team have been taking on a rigorous, military style training programme with the award winning The Commando Temple Gym to prepare both mentally and physically for the gruelling challenge.

Having all, in some way, experienced the devastating effects of mental health issues; the team have taken on the challenge with the aim of raising £30,000 for CALM. CALM is leading a movement against suicide, the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK and the cause of 18 deaths every day. With 1 in 4 people in the UK experiencing a mental health problem, the team feel it is an extremely important cause to raise awareness about. 

• In the UK & Republic of Ireland, there were 6,859 suicides in 2018. in the UK, there were 6,507 suicides. In the republic of Ireland, there were 352 suicides.
• Deaths by suicide rose by 10.9% in the UK in 2018.
• In the UK, men are three times as likely to die by suicide than women. In the Republic of Ireland, the rate is four times higher among men than women.
• In the UK, the highest suicide rate is among men aged 45-49. In the Republic of Ireland, the highest rate is among men aged 55-65. 
• The rate of deaths among under 25s increased by 23.7%, reaching 730 deaths in 2018.
• Men aged 45-49 still have the highest rate of suicides. The suicide rate increased for this group in 2018.
• In Scotland, the suicide rate among young people aged 15-24 increased by 52.7%. This is the highest it has been since 2007.
• In the Republic of Ireland, suicide rates have continued to fall for both men and women. In recent years, rates fluctuated more than in the UK but are currently at their lowest since 1989.