Updated - 20th January 2024

We need your help!

We are deeply saddened to share the news that our trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro is currently in jeopardy of not happening. A significant amount of money intended for this trip has now gone missing with the lead organizer of the trip who we cannot currently contact. This unfortunate situation has left us in a difficult position, as the money our trustees and staff had selflessly paid out of their own pockets towards this trip has been lost. We understand that the easiest response to this may be to sit in disappointment and frustration, however, we do intend on still making this trip a reality!

As HSO we have positively impacted and supported over 2,113 #children and #youngpeople (CYP) over the years through our early intervention approach; HSO helps identify and address #mentalhealth concerns at their early stages, even before they become severe or chronic later in life to enable CYP to have a greater chance of leading healthy and fulfilling lives. However, there has been an increase of 275% of calls being made to external support services like HSO since the start of the pandemic and we are finding it hard to keep up and serve the mental health and well-being needs of our pupils as they are at an all-time high. In effort to raise awareness of this, our team of staff and trustees were going to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2024 supported by an external organization skilled at planning these types of trips. To date, our supporters and donors have already raised £985 intended to go towards supporting our service during our growth. But with this slight set back, we need more support than expected.

What does this mean?

HSO is committed to ensuring that every penny donated to our charity to date is used for its intended purpose - supporting our children and young people! However, we would like to be transparent, open, and honest. Our trustees and staff are normal everyday people with a heart for #impact and they still really want to go on this trip. But in this #costoflivingcrisis some can now not afford to do so anymore if it were solely from their own pockets. So, we would like to widen the scope of what support for this meaningful endeavor now means. If you would still like to support this trip, when you donate to the #justgiving page the money will now ALSO go towards recovering some of the approximately £10000 lost and needed, to make this trip a reality.

We are determined to overcome this setback and find alternative ways to save the trip, but WE NEED YOUR HELP! We will explore different avenues and fundraising initiatives to recover the funds that were paid for the trip by our trustees and staff. We kindly request your understanding, patience, and continued support as we navigate through these challenging circumstances. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting positive mental health change for children and young people across the UK. Despite this setback, we will continue working tirelessly towards achieving our goals and making a positive impact on those who rely on us.

We were not the only #charity that has been affected by this situation and our heart also goes out to everyone affected as well. If you can help – please donate, and/or share this post with someone who may be able to support us.