I'm fundraising to support CALM, The Campaign Against Living Miserably.

I recently lost a friend because he felt he couldn't cope with life and couldn't see any other way out - despite the love and support around him. I felt a real mix of emotions, namely shock and a deep sadness, but also an overwhelming desire to prevent others feel like there's no other option.

Anyone can hit crisis point. 125 lives are lost every week to suicide. And 75% of all UK suicides are male, which is the single biggest killer of males under the age of 45 in the UK.

This has to change.

With the help of a friend, who has also lost someone close to them in similar circumstances, I've got a team together and over the course of two days, we'll be trekking around 26 miles and ascending to a total height of almost 3,000m as we undertake the gruelling National Three Peaks Challenge. 

The Challenge

Considered one of Britain’s toughest outdoor challenges, the National Three Peaks Challenge takes in the dizzy heights of Ben Nevis (1,344m), Scafell Pike (978m) and Snowdon (1,085m).

We start our challenge on Friday 2nd Sept with Ben Nevis in the afternoon, then Scafell Pike in the early hours of Saturday and finally on to Snowdon later that same day. Upon completion we'll be heading back home to the Midlands.

I've completed the Three Peaks Challenge in 2006 (sub-24hrs), organised and led a team of 24 people in 2012 (30hrs and raised £8.5k) and was a driver in 2017, however I'm far from an expert and am probably in the worst physical condition that I've ever been. A lot of the team have never done anything like this either so it's going to be tough on everyone. As a group, we're committed to training beforehand and giving 100% over the challenge.

We'll be raising money for a brilliant cause, but I also want this to be an opportunity to bond as a group and create some memories for life.  

The Team: The Red Hot Chili Steppers

The walkers are myself / Andy Lavender / Mauro Ramirez / Rob Graham / Blaine McSweeney / Duncan Hemming / Asmodeus Jogia.

Our Super Support team are Owen Dearling / Phil Berry / Simon Tucker.  

The Charity

The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide. They stand together with everyone who’s struggling with life, no matter who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through.

Every week, 125 people in the UK take their own lives. CALM exists to change this - by offering life-saving services, provoking national conversation, and bringing people together to reject living miserably.

Research has found that every suicide directly affects 135 people – that’s friends, family, colleagues, and the communities in which we live. On top of that, when somebody is bereaved by suicide, they are themselves at greater risk of taking their own life.

By donating, you will help CALM operate a helpline and webchat, offering practical suggestions for all of life’s problems. Their staff answer a call every 66 seconds - they listen, talk and help people struggling with life to make a plan so they can begin to look to the future.

Read more about CALM here