At just 13 years old, my sister Hannah was diagnosed with an eating disorder. What followed was one of the most challenging periods our family has ever faced.

After plenty of struggles for over a year, Hannah spent 2 months in hospital & 6 months at The Priory in Altrincham, a specialist mental health care unit for children. It was a long and difficult journey, not just for Hannah, but for all of us—especially our parents, Jo and Rob, who supported her every step of the way.

Eating disorders are devastating illnesses that affect around 1 in 50 people in the UK, and anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any mental health condition. These are not just statistics to us—they reflect a reality we lived through.

But Hannah’s story is also one of incredible strength, resilience, and hope.

With the support of The Priory, she was supported day in day out, battled constantly through every challenge put her way & even continued her education through homeschooling. After 8 long months away from home, with vital treatment everyday, Hannah returned home & and went on to achieve mostly A grades in her education. She didn’t stop there—Hannah completed sixth form and is now thriving at university, studying Law at Liverpool University in her first year.

Today, we are so proud to see her flourishing into the amazing young woman she is becoming & I am incredibly proud to have her as my little sister. Many people across the UK struggling with this mental health illness aren’t so privileged to talk about their story and is something we all think about each day.

Inspired by her journey, I have decided to take on a challenge to raise money for BEAT, a charity that works tirelessly every day to support those affected by eating disordersl.

As part of this, I will be cycling 300+ miles over three days, visiting many of the incredible Inns of Character I am proud to be part of at Daniel Thwaites. The route will take me from Beverley to Malham, Malham to Keswick, and finally from Keswick to Blackburn.

To put it into perspective, this challenge is the equivalent of climbing Ben Nevis up and down three times in a row.

This is going to be physically and mentally demanding—but it is nothing compared to what Hannah and so many others go through every day.

Any donation, big or small, will make a real difference and help BEAT continue their vital work supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders.

Thank you so much for your support.

Best,

Will Kitchen