Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Many of you reading this will know that my best friend Mike tragically lost his battle with his mental health in the week before Christmas 2018. He was only 34 years old.

On the face of it he was a happy, funny, loyal and handsome man with a great career and so many passions in life,  Music, The Gym, Football, Golf, Steam Locomotives and Gin. 

His biggest passion was for his family, his two wonderful children, his fiancé Vicky, his parents and his brother Martin and his wife Chan. He talked about them constantly and lovingly. 

Mike was one of those people who could see the good in everyone, and would  do anything for anyone. So many people including me were proud to call him a friend. He was always there for all of us no questions asked. 

I initially met Mike not long after I had returned home to Bristol from a work secondment to Singapore in 2015

I had returned to the UK early after having my own mental health problems.  We soon discovered we had many mutual interests and Mike "took me under his wing" made sure I got out of the house, went to the gym with him and we had many lunches, dinners and coffees together and I should mention the odd gin or three! 

Meeting Mike played a big part in my own recovery and meeting him and being able to call him my friend will remain one of the best things to happen in my life and a great privilege. I owe Mike more than I think he ever realised.  

I saw the following quote recently and thought it was very pertinent 

"You can sound confident and have anxiety. You can look healthy and feel shit. You can speak in public and be a wreck. You can be privileged and not mentally privileged. You can lift barbells and be weak. You can be a man and cry. You can be good looking and feel ugly. You can have everything and nothing. Minds have their own reality.”

I have decided that I needed to do something positive in the aftermath of this tragedy. Mind was a charity close to Mikes heart and also to mine. The trek to Machu Picchu is something he would have loved to have done. I will be walking every step of the way in his memory and will definitely be having a large G&T when I arrive at sunrise to toast his memory and remember all the good times we had together. 

The fundraising target of is quite steep but I have no doubt that Mind will put the money to good use to help the one in four of us who suffer with their mental health at some time. 

R.I.P Mike, gone but never forgotten 

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