Hey everyone, thanks for visiting my JustGiving page! In June I'll be hitchhiking all the way to another continent with the aim of raising awareness of mental health issues and to battle against the stigma surrounding it, as well as raising some money for an excellent mental health charity called Mind. 

On June 19th 2015, I'll be setting off from Leeds (UK) on a 2,000 mile journey that will see me relying only on the kindness of strangers for my means of travel. Eventually, after endless miles of tagging along and possibly riding a camel or two, I hope to get to Marrakech (Morocco)! 

Around a quarter of people in the UK experience some sort of mental health issue each year, but for some reason mental health still has a stigma attached to it. I decided to hitchhike to raise awareness for a mental health charity as realizing that mental health is something that can affect us all is an essential element in breaking down the stigma surrounding it. If you are suffering any form of mental illness, please know that there are some great organisations out there who can help you overcome it, and that you shouldn't be afraid to find help. 

Mind is a mental health charity that provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem, and operate in both England and Wales. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. They offer help in various ways, such as the 'Infoline' which offers callers confidential advice.Website: http://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/ 

I would be very grateful if you could help me raise £500 by donating to the cause! All proceeds will go to Mind, none of the money will be used to fund my trip. This is the breakdown of how your money will help:

- £3 will help Mind answer more calls

- £7.50 will help Mind provide local support

- £12 will help Mind give people a place to turn

- £22.50 will help Mind do all of the above 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving, and once you donate, your money is sent directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.