So on the lead up to my year out I decided I needed a hobby and thought I'd run a marathon. In hindsight, I should have done something else as I exercise and meal schedules do not come naturally me. I was originally signed up to do the full marathon but as I have cystitis like symptoms all the time or it full blown lasting as long as 2 months, I have been advised to drop out for the sake of my kidneys but I am not wasting 15 months of being shouted at to run with my core not just my legs and am doing the half instead.

On my year out, I started once a week placement at Better Pathways (formally BITA Pathways) eventually starting full time employment there. Better has 4 social enterprises and an IPS services which aims to help people who are struggling with mental health back into work with advisors working alongside secondary care teams and families and a service to help 15-29 NEETs become EET. I cannot describe to you how hard the staff at Better Pathways work to make a change in these people's lives whether it be working directly with the clients and doing outreach or indirectly with the paperwork, bids, finance or making lunch. Often we have clients coming to us feeling like a lost cause as they have been through the same old sausage machine that most employment services are as mental health needs are often met with an eye roll. 

Mental health is something that is very near and dear to my heart, I have struggled with it since before I even knew what mental health was and so have my close family and friends. Considering how far the mental health system has come over the past 10 years, it's still just not good enough. Despite all the research in the world so show otherwise, most of the funding goes to the medical focus to recovery and not enough on the required social and psychological interventions shown through the disgustingly long waiting lists and only accepting "moderate" mental health problems. I have literally been asked if I would like to go on medication without being asked about circumstances or told about the other interventions that would accompany it to get me out the room quicker. Better Pathways is developing and has so much more to give and really embodies everything the mental health system should be so please sponsor me to help make a change, I'd literally appreciate a quid.

I have been a complete nightmare the last 2 years so in a way running this is also an apology and a thank you to anyone who has helped me  and continues to be understanding when I'm having a wobbly (especially Nat, Jess, Harri, Ed, Acocks Green Boots and my 79 Ladybarn pals/regular visitors). 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.