Over the coming months, I will be taking part in A Walk to Nowhere in support of The New Normal, in memory of my husband and my father. Will you support me?!

A Walk to Nowhere

The challenge set by The New Normal is a simple one: walking with your family, friends or colleagues, using the opportunity to speak openly and honestly about those difficult moments in life.

This isn't a typical challenge, however, as the distance, location and date do not matter, only the conversation. Though, they do recommend it taking enough time or distance to truly open up and get deep, but you can choose what works best for you and adapt it to your needs.

Myself, I will be doing multiple walks with a variety of people in my life, and hopefully some people that I've yet to meet! I am hoping to have lots of honest and vulnerable conversations around various experiences and current struggles.

My very first walk is with my Mum, sister, nieces and nephew while in Belfast for my Dad's anniversary. We will be going for a coastal beach walk, somewhere we would have walked with Dad, and will be able to speak about him.

I will be posting updates on the page, as well as on @ndybucketlist.

Why Am I Doing This?

This is very simple... I would not be here today without The New Normal.

My husband, Pete, died of sarcoma cancer in February 2020, exactly 100 days before our first wedding anniversary. This grief was compounded by the loss of my Dad, Mervyn, a few months later, and a previous miscarriage.

I was absolutely broken and my mental health spiralled out of control, and I attempted suicide on the first anniversary of Pete's death.

Then I found The New Normal. In their grief support meetings I was able to talk, cry, and speak about my struggles in a space where I felt seen, understood and held. I have been attending meetings ever since, and I can honestly say it has saved my life.

The New Normal has been an incredible support for not only myself, but also Pete's twin sister, Vikki, and my Mum, Faye, in their own grief. My own grief journey continues, but I'm grateful to have found such a beautiful community to go through it with.

In a strange twist, I now work for TNN as their Operational Lead, giving me the opportunity to provide the same space to others going through the trauma of loss and grief.

Working within, I am just as supported in my grief, my anxieties, my mental health and wellbeing, by a wonderful collaborative culture that supports and holds all of me, not just my work.

You can listen to more of my story and how TNN supported me in our BBC All In The Mind Radio 4 interview on Radio4.

Who are The New Normal?

The New Normal are a (now award-winning!) community-building charity connecting adults through their experience of grief and mental health.

Their mission is to provide space for adults who are struggling with life's difficult moments, particularly bereavement, to discuss these issues through non-judgmental peer to peer group support.

Despite only holding their first Good Grief meeting in 2018, and forming as a charity in 2020, TNN have delivered more than 860 peer support meetings with over 8,000 attendances!

Presently, they deliver almost 30 completely free peer support meetings per month, for a diverse range of communities, identities and experiences.

Incredibly, these meetings have no waiting lists, no fees, no limits to the number you can attend, and no restrictive referrals!

TNN are also training and supporting persons to set up their own peer support spaces in their own existing communities, maximising the impact of what the charity can achieve in building an empathetic society.

Where Will the Money Go?

The New Normal are an amazing small charity making a life-changing impact in so many lives and communities. Delivering hundreds of meetings per year for free, however, still costs money.

Relying solely on donations and fundraising, all monies raised from this campaign will be used directly in providing this support to those often facing the most difficult times of their lives.

To give you an idea what your donation will cover:

* £5.54 gives an individual access to a peer support meeting to help them work through their grief, mental health or other difficult moments

* £24.01 gives an individual access to a month of peer support meetings

* £50.41 allows two trained facilitators to deliver one peer support meeting, reaching 9.1* people

* £658 allows for one Volunteer meeting facilitator to be trained and supported to deliver meetings for one year, reaching 237* people each

(*Based on 2022 figures)

Thank You!

Every donation, no matter how small (or big!), has an impact and helps TNN to continue to provide life-changing support for all peoples.

I really appreciate any support you can give, and please do check out TNN's peer meetings and spaces and share with the people in your lives.

Thank you for all your generosity and support!

Hollie x