Why am I Running for MQ?

More and more people are struggling with their mental health and due to a chronically underfunded NHS people lack the support they desperately need to deal with it. I want that to end. And that’s why I have chosen to support MQ. 

I'm a parent to 2 girls, a husband, and my wife Sarah and I run an independent brewery in London. All of these things are amazing. They can also be incredibly stressful! 

Learning to be parents, and trying to keep a business going during the current uncertainties has applied pressure to my life in a way that I never thought possible. It’s meant some pretty scary stress, and days where it’s all got on top of us. And when things get on top of me I run. I’m lucky enough to know that it works, that it helps me find balance. But I also know that this doesn't work for everyone. And that many people need more specialist medical support.

The last few years I’ve seen too many people close to me struggle with depression, with anxiety, with panic. And one thing I’ve seen consistently is that no one knows what help they can access quickly. In their moments of crisis, they are sent in different directions by different services and face long waiting times which only add to the fear and sense of desperation - often causing them to spiral further. 

MQ have a clear vision. They want to create  a world where mental illness is understood, effectively treated, and ultimately prevented. And that's a world I want to live in, and to raise a family in. 

So I want to use the privilege I have - running to improve my own mental health - to support reaching this goal. I want to run for a team that aim to change our attitudes and understanding of mental health - and MQ is focused on achieving that. 

Please donate - it may not be because you relate to this story above, but I’m running for anyone who’s felt lost, confused, hurt or in crisis when interacting with their own or others’ mental health. So if that’s happened to you, I’m running for you - and I’m so grateful for the chance to.

About MQ

MQ's vision is simple: to create a world where mental illness is understood, effectively treated, and ultimately prevented. With the help of our supporters and a global network of leading scientists we can make this a reality. Together we are championing and funding research into mental health that will change millions of lives.Right now, one in four people in the UK is living with a mental health condition. That's nearly 15 million people with an illness that affects their wellbeing, their relationships with family and friends, and their ability to work. The experience can be painful, exhausting and isolating.Despite extraordinary advances in treating physical health conditions, progress in understanding mental illness, and research into its causes, treatments and prevention, is nowhere near equal. It woefully short, leaving millions of people worldwide without the help and support they need. We're here to change that by funding cutting-edge research. Better is possible.