**Please note: the livestream date has now changed from Wednesday, 30 December to Saturday, 9 January**

Hi, folks! 

My name is Doreen and I'll be playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Mind's Switch Off, Game On charity fundraising initiative!

Since receiving the game as a gift (thank you, Luke!), I spent much of 2020 building up my little island of Barbican while also struggling with and learning to manage my mental health.

As other familiar means of connecting with people began to close off, I enjoyed meeting with friends and my long-distance boyfriend on Animal Crossing. The game has enabled me to make a few new connections with folks over our shared enthusiasm over the game and our diligence in breeding for blue roses, and it continues to be a fun way to "meet" people virtually.

I'll be sharing some of my tips and tricks of island maintenance for new players, so if you're new to the game or getting back into it during the holiday season, tune in!

I'll be screening the marathon gaming event on Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/ourdoreen) on Saturday, the 9th of January from 3pm UK time, so please donate whatever you are able, whenever you are able. I know it's a tough year for many folks, so if you're not in a financial state to chip in some cash, then by all means please share this page with your own friends and followers, or host a similar event yourself!

Any money raised on this page will be going straight to Mind. Hopefully we can raise the £500, and I'll be taking donations on this page until the 30th of January, 2021.

Thank you so much!

Here's some words from Mind:

In the virtual world, we get multiple lives. But in the real one, weve only got the one. Thousands of us are struggling with our mental health, without knowing where to go for help. With one in five people in the UK experiencing suicidal thoughts and one in 15 attempting to take their own life we have got to make sure everyone gets the support they need.

https://www.mind.org.uk/get-involved/donate-or-fundraise/do-your-own-fundraising/switch-off-game-on/