This year will mark ten years since my brother died after suffering from a serious mental health condition. At the time that he was struggling with his condition, talking about male mental health in certain communities was still considered very much taboo and his illness was not acknowledged.

In 2020 I had the privilege of going on a hike with Boots and Beards, who are trying to improve mental wellbeing through means of physical activity, with a focus on the BAME community. The experience of spending time with the group has stayed with me and the work that they do is absolutely fantastic.

My brother's death is something that I don't think I will ever fully recover from and I would like to do anything that I can to prevent it happening to anyone else. I feel quite strongly that had groups like Boots and Beards existed when he was alive the outcome may have been different and it is important to support them for future generations.

Link to article about Boots and Beards: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/jul/28/boots-and-beards-asian-pakistani-hiking-group-trail-blazing-scotlands-mounatins

Link to the challenge: https://highlanderadventure.com/en-us/lake-district/about#Hercules