Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. 

At a time when referals for mental health services are at the highest they've ever been, and as the NHS continues to struggle under the weight of the last couple of years, the work of community mental health charities has never been more vital.  During the pandemic Richmond Borough Mind adapted rapidly to the rising demand and continues to grow to support as many people as we can. 

I started volunteering with RB Mind in November 2020 and have seen first hand the absolutely amazing work local branches of Mind do to support the community, right there on the frontline.  From providing one-to-one out of hours crisis support, counselling and support for carers of people with mental health problems, to delivering workshops for the general public, organisations and in schools around looking after our own mental health and building resilience, not to mention the variety of wellbeing activities and groups that successfully continued to support service users through lockdown.

Outside of my work with RB Mind, like at least 1 in 4 of us, I have worked through mental health issues of my own, and have seen mental health problems affect many people close to me. These illnesses are preventable and treatable, and community Mental Health services have huge potential to change and save lives.  

RB Mind does all their own fundraising and rely on donations to grow their reach. To raise funds for the charity so close to my heart I have set myself an incredibly optimistic challenge...

As a completely NOVICE KAYAKER, I have committed to kayaking the kayak-able length of the River Thames over 6 days in May 2022.  That's 124 miles, averaging journeys of 6-8 hours of kayaking a day.  This is going to push me beyond a whole load of limits, physically and mentally. 

Myself and the whole team at RB Mind would be hugely grateful for your sponsorship. I cannot stress enough how much your donations mean to the service and to me. Lots of love x

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.