Hi my name is Ben mckenna & heres abit about why i have chosen to raise money for my chosen charity https://www.gamblingwithlives.org/ .....

Gambling with lives was set up by families & friends bereaved by gambling related suicide. The young men who took their own life were all bright, popular & happy... gambling was their only problem.

Gambling with lives aims to:

* support families who have been bereaved by gambling related suicide.

* raise awareness of the dangerous effects of gambling on mental health and high suicide risk.

For some people ”when the fun stops... stop” they cant & i am one of those people. Just because something doesnt seem a big problem on the outside from people looking in that doesn’t mean its not a big problem on the inside to you, maybe thats why they call it “The hidden addiction”. From being young i was always facinated with arcades, flashing lights on the fruit machines & 2p slots, i mean how harmless could this be? Im just a kid & this is fun right? Little did i know the seed had already been planted and over the course of the years i would be watering it.

I have found myself in holes with gambling that have been self inflicted and dug by myself but instead of asking for help i carried on digging. Strength comes from accepting responsability and taking action to be a better version of yourself. Gambling can ruin friendships, relationships & lives, it has the highest suicide rate of any addiction and a minimum of 1 person every working day will take their own life due to gambling addiction being the route cause. Its caused me allot of pain, tears & guilt and put me in a dark place but one thing to always remember is “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one remembers to turn on the light”

On the 5th september 2018 i found strength to turn on the light and its no coincidence its been shining ever since. I feel lucky & blessed to have found this strength because i know just how much gambling addiction can impact not just the individual but the people around them. What i have learnt is not to get comfortable and think i can have “just have a small bet” because when you get comfortable thats when you are most vulnerable. Its just over a year now since i have last bet and i keep reminding myself of how it has made me feel which i think is important to keep my demon away. There’s a saying “we never lose our demons we just learn to live above them” and above them is where i am staying. In may 2020 i will be setting off on foot from my house in Burnley heading over to the yorkshire dales & then completing the yorkshire 3 peaks. Its roughly around 55 miles and ill be giving myself 24 hours to complete it. Updates on my route and the specific date will be confirmed well before i take on the challenge so people can keep upto speed & informed.

My aim is to raise awareness & money towards the charity that will help impact people and prevent any harm caused through gambling.

Any donations i would appreciate in supporting me on this challenge and it really would mean the world. Please click the video link that will explain more about the charity Gambling with lives video