I AM JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE!

On the 20th of April 2019,  I will both be doing a 10,000 foot skydive to raise money for the mental health charity Mind. I have chosen to support Mind due to the care they provided for my sister Elise during a period of time where she was incredibly ill,  and to do my bit in aiding the charity in campaigning for better mental health awareness and funding.  

Mind provide supportive and reliable information to those suffering with a mental illness, empowering them to understand their condition and the steps forward available to them. The charity has a confidential help line for those who need immediate help, offer extensive legal advice for those suffering with mental health issues and run 'Local Minds' support groups, which act as a safe place of support to those who need it most. Mind are advocates of ending mental health discrimination and are campaigning for change regarding the lack of funding to mental health services. They also offer professional training sessions to develop mentally health workplaces, applied suicide prevention skills and mental health first aid knowledge. I cannot urge you to donate to this indispensable charity enough!

When Elise, now 20, was 15 years old, she was the victim of a severe sexual assault which left her with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and panic disorder. In the years since the assault, my sister attempted to take her own life on more than one occasion. With the crushing cuts to the NHS mental health service, Elise slipped through the net and was unable to receive the treatment she needed, resulting in a number of hospitalisations. Where the NHS were unable to step in, when my sister was at her lowest, Mind did. Their urgent hotline and legal advice were crucial to Elise, and she also joined our Local Minds group, who gave her the much needed therapy and support. Mind played a significant role in the darkest times of my sisters recovery, and were able to offer a wealth of  invaluable help and information in dealing with her mental health and re-building her life. I can't begin to thank Mind enough for everything they did for my sister.

I am, however, not only doing this for personal reasons:

- 75% of young people with a mental health problem are NOT receiving treatment.

- The average wait for effective treatment is 10 years.

- Suicide is the biggest killer in men up to the age of 49. 

- 1 in 6 people experience a common mental health problem weekly.

- 7 in 100 people have attempted suicide at least once. 

It is for these reasons that supporting mental health charities such as Mind are so important, to continue to save lives and overcome the stigma surrounding mental health issues. 

Thanks for taking the time to visit this page and please donate whatever you can!