In February 2026 I’m stepping well out of my comfort zone and challenging myself to reach the summit of Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, in support of an amazing St Albans based charity, Youth Talk.

Youth Talk is is a pioneering Charity, unique in the UK, providing free, confidential face to face counselling and emotional support to 13-25 year olds in St Albans and the surrounding areas.

From family problems to exam stress and peer pressure, body image anxiety to social media bullying, trying to get through life can be completely overwhelming. Coping with it all can feel impossible. Youth Talk is determined that every young person has a safe, confidential place where they can talk to an experienced professional who can help with whatever’s worrying them, without judgement. What makes the service unique, is that young people can access a whole year of support for free.

Demand for the service is growing all the time: the charity is currently supporting over 120 young people every week and has another 80 on the waiting list.

I’m one of a team of 20, all of us supporting Youth Talk. Thanks to your donation Youth Talk can continue to provide one-to-one counselling during a real time of need, helping young people to find courage, hope, happiness and purpose in life.

£10 pays for an hour of the Youth Talk team to be on the phone to take a call.

£25 helps pay for resources to share with local schools.

£50 pays for a full counselling session for a young person that is in need of it.

It's important for there to be a safe, trustworthy, calm and professional environment for young people to feel comfortable in and share whatever is on their mind, Youth Talk offers this.

Thank you x