“Mental Illness Doesn’t Exist”

…said a (former) friend. 😢

According to him, it was all in my mind and I could probably get out of bed and have a wash “if I really wanted to”. Not for the first (or last) time, he’s wrong. Mental illness not only exists—it’s devastating young lives, often during what should be their best years. One in five young people face poor mental health, and kids from the poorest 20% of households are four times more likely to struggle severely by age 11 compared to their wealthier peers.

Road to Nowhere 🛣️

Back at 6th Form College, Road to Nowhere was my theme song—a moody, angsty anthem for a rebel with a lot of causes. As I later found out, it was fear and anxiety that navigated my life.

Many, many years (and a lot of therapy) later, I’m now finally on a road to somewhere. And not just any road—three weeks from now, I’ll be walking the extolled Camino de Santiago.

Originally, I was doing it for me—to fix my frazzled mind, aging body, and battered soul. But as I trained, friends and colleagues asked if I was fundraising. At first, I said, “Nope, it’s just for me,” but that felt a bit naff.

So, I searched for a charity that truly resonated—small, Manchester-based, focused on mental health, supporting young people, and creatively helping those on society’s margins. 🐝 🫶. A friend told me about Odd Arts.(Thank you Kerry Sutcliffe)

Odd Arts? 🎭

hashtag#OddArts is no ordinary theatre group - this is a transformative, powerful theatre company. Their performances challenge inequalities, open up opportunities for young people and tackle life’s toughest social issues. They don’t just put on plays, they create spaces where people facing the hardest struggles can heal, grow, and thrive. Think of it as therapy, but with spotlights and scripts, and an audience who determines the epilogue.

Road to Somewhere 🌼

The Camino de Santiago will bring aching limbs, bad hair, and the occasional existential crisis. I’m bracing for blisters and bug bites, but I won’t be alone. With 299 Cisconians and countless pilgrims (still hoping to meet a barefoot nun), it’s more than a walk—it’s about listening, sharing, and lightening the load together.

That’s exactly what Odd Arts does for young people: they help them unplug from online chaos, escape the doom scroll, and connect with each other. Let’s help them rewrite their stories and find a better path.

I have learned to enoy being in the moment and not to obsess over the destination. So, in true Camino tradition, I’ll leave a “stone of burden” at the side of the road for my ex-friend. ⛪

Please 🙏 donate https://lnkd.in/gb54uMu4 and help those who seem lost so they too can find their own better paths.