Hi there, 

My name is Kit, I’m 18 and I’m planning (lockdown permitting) to walk from Land’s End in Cornwall, back up to my hometown of Bath to raise £10,000 for Mind.

I will be following the South West Coast Trail along to Dorset and then up the Macmillan Way back to Bath. 

With me on my journey will be Tom Hathaway, Ben Laughton and Will Harbinson, all of whom you will hear from in a bit. We all went to Beechen Cliff School, in Bath, together and most of us are in our gap year before we go off to Uni. Here’s a short introduction to each of us and why this walk to raise money is important to us.

Kit ~ Mental health has been a key feature of my life over the last few years, I’ve experienced bouts of depression and at my worst, I’ve had suicidal thoughts and ideas. In this place I felt helpless and alone, and if not for the intervention and then continued help of counsellors, I wouldn’t have the strong foundations upon which I base my mental health today. I’m hoping to raise both awareness of the topic and funding for the leading mental health charity, Mind.

Tom ~ I’ve found myself extremely lucky over the last couple of years to have found myself in a friendship group so open with the idea of mental health. I know that over the last 12 months especially, as I’m sure many people have, I’ve found myself struggling for long periods at a time. I feel so grateful to have friends that support me when I’m not feeling myself. However, I know that so much more needs to be done to make this a conversation that everyone is able to partake in - not just young people. This is why the work of charities such as Mind is so crucial and why I am so keen to support it in any way I can.

Will ~ Mental health seems to be a phrase not thrown around lightly but something that continues to be brushed past by many a person. I have been lucky enough to avoid any mental health issues so I don’t fully understand the pain it can cause, but I think it’s important for people like me to be aware of those who struggle. Despite mental health not being tangible, it’s the most prominent and important thing for a happy and prosperous life. Help for those suffering should be easily accessible and approachable. So, our aim for this walk is to raise awareness and money for the people who deserve it and to encourage those in need to take the first steps towards happiness.

Ben ~ My experience with mental health spanned a lot of my life, multiple of my friends and family have been diagnosed with various mental health conditions which have affected their lives for many years. I always felt helpless as a kid as I never knew what to do or say to help them see that everyone around them is on their side. With the help of local counsellors, their lives have been improved by merely having a chat with a third party. This has encouraged me to ask for help and is why I believe that raising money and awareness can help people improve their lives and the ones of those around them. 

 The COVID 19 pandemic has affected us all greatly. Loss of life, deepened recession and lockdown itself have seen rates of depression double and the use of Mind’s helpline dramatically increase in the last year. These are deeply troubling times and I’m certain that throughout this period, we have shared the experience of loneliness and anxiety about what the future holds, as a minimum. 

Mind is one of the leading charities for investing in community and advising the government. Its helpline aims to offer people supportive and reliable information on the first steps towards understanding the problem faced and the choices available to them - be that confidential help, or access to their online community in which 120,000 people are currently engaged. 

Now, more than ever, due to the effects of COVID 19, the demand for Mind’s services and specialist support for people across Britain, is at an all-time high.

We’d love to involve you in this initiative and hope you can see why we’re trying to raise money and awareness for this fantastic charity. The team would really appreciate any donations and we would encourage anyone and everyone to share this with friends, family and colleagues etc.

Thanks,

Kit, Tom, Ben and Will

For further information on Mind and the brilliant work they do to support people, please click the link below

https://www.mind.org.uk