Throughout my performing arts journey, I’ve been lucky to meet some truly brilliant, colourful people. Two of them were Rudi Last and Alexander Griffin, friends I knew from college and university, respectively.

In 2018, we were shaken by Rudi’s sudden passing.

In 2020, we lost Alex too.

Both were utterly unique. Both made the world brighter in their own ways. And though my relationships with them were different, they shared something: a quiet, personal struggle with mental health.

As part of my Three Peaks Challenge, I’ll be dedicating two of the climbs to them.

In their memory, I’ll also be creating a painting, and raising money for MindOut, a charity that supports mental health within the LGBTQIA+ community, a cause that connects to both their stories, and matters deeply to me.

For Rudi. For Alex.

For anyone whose light deserved to shine longer.