My name’s Finn Wakeham, and I’m terrified of heights. So I’ve decided to book a skydive. 

On the 3rd August 2017, my Dad took his own life. To me and my family, it was completely out of the blue, there was no warning, no indication that he could ever do something like that. I later found out that my Dad had been suffering with his mental health and getting support for it without me ever knowing - he hid how he was feeling because he felt it was his burden to bear.

In 2017 in the UK alone, there were 5,821 suicides, of which 75% were men, and 1 of those was my Dad. Mental health issues remain a pervasive cause of death, particularly in men under 50, and charities like Dorset Mind work to reduce the stigma, encourage people to reach out and get the support they need, and support the loved ones who have to live with the damage that suicide causes to them.

I’ve been grateful for the support i’ve received from Dorset Mind, and changing my attitude to mental health is truly what saved my life. They deserve every penny you can spare, so please support me on this fundraising mission.

From the Charity:

Dorset Mind charity educates, challenges mental health stigma and inequality, and encourages recovery by empowering individuals to develop resilience.  Their 1-2-1 & group support includes counselling, mentoring, support groups, active monitoring and a befriending service. These help people regain social skills and develop confidence.  The charity also delivers educational wellbeing programmes for schools and workplaces and provide volunteer opportunities across all areas of the organisation. For more details, see dorsetmind.uk.