As some of you may or may not know, I have been suffering with long covid since testing positive for covid in January this year and since then have struggled to maintain my fitness levels, go to the gym etc... However, I have since started walking and really started to enjoy walking and exploring - as well as helping to maintain some level of fitness and clear the mind - I have since decided that I am going to do a walk and try and hopefully raise some money for charity along the way.

My chosen charity is a local small charity 'Yellow House' founded by the legend that is George Mc Kane - and on 11th September, I am going to be walking from my house in South Liverpool to the founder of Yellow House's home in New Brighton - I am going to be doing this walk in my Dads name.

Yellow House is a unique youth organisation set up in the mid 1980s. Founded by George McKane in Liverpool, Yellow House is named after Vincent van Gogh’s House in Arles where his door was always open. Yellow House have been committed to the social emotional wellbeing and development of young people and has been at the forefront of direct work with young people throughout Merseyside, UK and Europe working on a daily basis at our own Centre and in schools, colleges and other youth agencies- as well as major theatre, art and social projects gaining local, national and international recognition for innovative work.

For me, I'm not exaggerating when I say Yellow House literally saved my life, by keeping me focused and supporting me at a time in my life when I needed it more than ever. Losing my Dad when I was 16, was, as you can imagine very painful and especially at such an age which is difficult enough... But George never gave up on me, he encouraged me... to be the best version of me at all times, to be a good person, to educate myself and keep on the right path... and overall I don't think I've done too bad!

Covid has effected us all in some way, since I have returned to Yellow House now as a volunteer I have realised it is still as important to some of the young people today as it was to me when I was a teenager. This charity really does save lives and has a huge impact on young people and their development - if I can do anything to keep Yellow House going, I will.