Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I have decided to take part in TrekFest, where every trekker aims to complete a 27 mile route within 12 hours across the Peak District national park. Mental ill health will effect approximately one in five of us. In reality this means that a friend, neighbour or close relative that you know being affected this year. 

A donation of £5 could help support the on-going training of volunteers so that they can continue to deliver health and wellbeing training to those in need. £10 could go some way in helping the charity to offer counselling session to individuals in need.

The one in five statistic became very real for both me and my family after I was diagnosed with postnatal depression after my first and again after my second child. I did not have any mental health history and this made it even harder for us to come to terms with my illness.

The personal insight that I had into 'depression' is one of the scariest things that I have lived through. People often ask what it felt like and the best description that I can give is:

'I was in a box that was shrinking all the time putting more and more pressure on me. All I could do was think about getting away.... running away. The darkness was deepest in the morning with constant sobbing... its a dark place.... I couldn't function or move I was paralysed by anxiety. The cruelty of it was that from the outside I seemed 'normal' a new happy mother but inside I was battling for my life, my future and my families future'.

I have now made a full recovery - however I understand how important it is to have a comprehensive support network around you, ranging from the mental health teams, councillors, GPs, family and friends, as it is those individuals that keep reaching into the box to slowly pull you back out.

By walking TrekFest and supporting Tameside Oldham and Glossop Mind its my way of saying thanks to that support network and perhaps in my own small way helping others, as I did, to discover their own journey to recovery.

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.

Every Penny raised will go to supporting the charities work and is kept within Tameside Oldham and Glossop. Please give as much as you can every penny is valued and can make a real impact on an individuals life. Without donors and supporters like us the charity wouldn't be able to continue its vital work.