Hey, I'm Pedro, I'm going to be doing a half marathon on the 9th of October to raise money for Hammersley Homes, where I've been volunteering.

Hammersley Homes are a charity that focuses on providing care for adults who suffer with mental illness. Often adults with mental illness find themselves in prison or if their lucky hospitalised. There is a lack of understanding and mistreatment of adults with mental illness in our society, and Hammersley Homes are doing the inspiring work of helping these individuals who tend to find themselves alone, vulnerable and homeless.

As a volunteer I had the privilege to provide friendship to someone who found himself adjusting back into society. Volunteering was as helpful to me as I hope it was to him, I was a little scared at first, not knowing what to expect or being worried I'd say something wrong and upset him. But once I started visiting him once a week for a few hours I realised how judgmental we are, if life had turned out differently any of us could be in that position, people with mental illness are just like us, we all have mental health that increases and declines.

People with mental illness struggle with certain factors in our society and the horrible treatment they often receive from our society is so upsetting. 

I encourage everyone to volunteer or at least learn about mental illness and what it's really like to live with it.