Please, please support me as I put the kit on once again and take part in a Legends football match. It has been a long road back to get to this stage! After having to retire young from professional football with a back injury and carrying emotional baggage around due to loss of identity, my weight has steadily increased year by year. After being inspired watching Harry's Heroes, I vowed to do something about it, get back in shape and achieve a decent level of fitness again. So far, I have managed to lose 6 and a half stone which I am very proud about. Eating better, exercising regularly and steadily losing weight week by week has helped get my confidence back and raise my self-esteem. The journey will culminate in me taking part in a legends football match on Saturday 10th July. This simply would not have been possible two years ago. Charities have been hit really badly over this last period due to the terrible experiences of the coronavirus, so a chance to raise awareness of opening up about mental health related issues and also some monies for Manchester Mind is very important to me. If you can spare anything at all, no matter how small, it would be so, so much appreciated. Thank you for your support and God bless x

Manchester Mind is an independent, local charity, which supports over 6,500 children, young people and adults each year. We believe that everyone deserves to be supported in their mental health needs and we have a part to play in that. Our charity values the commitment of our staff and volunteers, who work hard to ensure services are delivered in a way that enables people to feel heard and involved. Donations and help from our fantastic supporters make a real difference, so thank you for being part of our success this year.