Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

As many of you know, I'm the Founder of Young Minds Matter, a registered charity, supporting young people's mental health. Ever since I organised our first concert in 2017, featuring 70 amazing young musicians, and raising much needed awareness and funds for young people's mental health, I've been on a bit of a mission to continue to provide support for young people.

It's no surprise to know that Covid and lockdown has had a huge detrimental effect on young people's confidence and self-esteem and anxiety levels are at an all-time high.  The money raised here will enable Young Minds Matter to provide more mentors in schools. Our young people deserve all the support they can get right now and with your help, we can all contribute to their future wellbeing.

Back in November last year, feeling unfit, lacking in motivation, and like many others, eating and drinking too much, I decided I needed a challenge and so against my previous refusals to do Couch to 5K after many suggestions from friends, I decided to take up the challenge. I have always hated running (and still don't really enjoy it) but somehow, running often in the dark, alone and in and horrible cold weather, I completed the challenge and completed my first ever non-stop 5k in 35 mins on 2nd Jan 2021!  

Against all odds, I have somehow kept up running - it has made me feel mentally and physically better and less than two months after my first 5K I set off for a run with no real target but somehow I ended up running 10k!  It was slow but non-stop and that was a huge achievement personally!

I've now been challenged by the team at Young Minds Matter to run a 10k in the summer and I'm hoping that as many people as possible will join me in this run, which will be on the morning of  Saturday 26th June 2021 in Stratford-upon-Avon. 

If you can't be with us personally, I hope that people of all ages can join us on the day, wherever you are in the world, and we can all post our inspirational stories on Young Minds Matter social media!  

Even if you can't manage 10k I'd love people to join me in running 5k or cycling 5k or 10k with us all on the day!

Thanks very much everyone - I hope this run will inspire you to either join me or to support a much needed cause. 

Sue 

xx