As some of you already know in April 2020, I will be flying to Nepal to embark on a 17-day expedition to Everest EBC and Kala Patthar. For many years now, I have been looking at pictures of this mountain and now, I will finally be able to see it for my own eyes.

Although I’m always hiking up mountains, walking on long treks and just generally getting lost in the great outdoors, this will be my most challenging to date. I will be trekking for 13 days straight reaching an altitude of 5545m (18,192 ft) above sea level.

Even though this has been on my ‘Bucket list’ for a while now and why it will be completely self-funded, I’m not just doing it for a big green tick in my diary.

I'm never normally that open about my own feelings, but being outdoors and exploring has been my way of escaping from reality, even if it's just for a temporary block on life itself and to clear my mind of what is sometimes, hard to just shake off - but unfortunately,  many young people don’t have anything, or anyone they can get support from.

Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under the 35 in the UK; every year over 1,600 young people take their own life. PAPYRUS is the national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide. Its HOPELineUK confidential helpline provides practical advice and support to young people with thoughts of suicide and those concerned about a young person who may have thoughts of suicide. HOPELineUK is staffed by trained professionals and offers a phone, text and email service. PAPYRUS also offers training, delivers regional outreach programmes, and campaigns and influences national policy.

I want to raise as much money as I can to support the work they do, helping them to reach more people across the UK, supporting young people at risk of suicide.

Every £5 raised can help pay for a potentially life-saving contact to HOPELINEUK from a young person wanting to stay safe from their thoughts of suicide. Thank you.

Lx