We are raising money for the Mental Health Charity MIND

 Michael Brown, Michael Fitzgerald and Eric Stapleton. Are cycling the London to Essex cycle ride on the 29th May 2022, we are doing this for the Mental Health Charity MIND. The ride is 100 miles and must be completed in under 8 hours.

Why do we want to raise money for MIND?

This is a fantastic charity that provide advice and support to empower anyone who may be experiencing poor mental health. Their website helped Michael Fitzgerald so much when he went through his mental health journey. We know how bad mental health can have an effect on peoples life. We do not want to see people go through the awful time Michael Fitzgerald had, so if we can raise funds for MIND, this would give us so much pleasure.

My Story: Michael Fitzgerald

We all know somebody who is or has been affected by poor mental health.
 Depression takes your life away, it made me want to hide away, it drains your body. In June 2014, I had a mental health breakdown, it started in early 2011. I thought I was just stressed out with work and everyday life, how wrong was I. My job played a big part in my breakdown. Working long hours in a high-pressure demanding environment. Depression took me from being a very fit, outgoing, happy person to a person I didn’t recognise anymore.

I knew I wasn’t feeling right, I would work 12-hour days, 5 days a week and often worked weekends whilst also taking work home with me. When I first recognised that my mental health wasn't great, I would skip meals, eat junk food, drink alcohol regularly then things started to turn worse. My Dear Loving Mother became very ill in 2011 and she died in 2013. I took very little time off work and my life started to go downhill. I struggled to get up in the mornings and didn't want to go to work. I had no interest in life, didn’t want to socialise or even be around my family and friends. But I did want to be with my Mother, sadly I knew this couldn't be.

I continued to work, still putting in my best efforts, then one day I had this awful feeling in my body; of fear, knots in the stomach. I was very emotional. I would travel the 40 minute journey to work mainly crying all the way and once in work, I put on a brave face to do my 12- hour shift. After the shift, I would cry most of the way home, stopping just before arriving and putting on that brave face ready to see my wife and child. Over the weeks and months to come, I became worse, still hiding my mental health until one day in early June 2014, I just broke down at home. I went to my doctor, he said I had experienced burnout and a mental health breakdown.

I tried to carry on with life, but my body physically and mentally was stopping me. This was now the start of my journey to recovery. I received a lot of support from my doctor, family and friends. I had received treatment from a psychologist and a bereavement councillor I left my job I was too unwell to work and had severe depression, awful anxiety and daily panic attacks.

I knew I had a battle on my hands. My depression didn’t just affect me, it was very upsetting for those around me who loved me. I wanted to know why I became ill, so I started the long journey ahead taking each day at a time and building my physical and mental strength back .

Receiving treatment from a psychologist and a bereavement councillor really helped me. I started to eat healthily, exercise regularly and do mindful meditation. I spent quality time with family and friends, I also took a 4- part module course about mental health awareness, which I passed.

After 17 months of not working, I started to feel all the benefits of the support and treatment I was receiving. I started a new job. I still get days or even the odd week, where my mental health can be bad. Once this happens, I talk about the issues I'm going through. I have coping skills now to manage my mental health and great support from my current employer. With fantastic all-round love and support from my family and friends.

Michael Brown

I’m doing the cycle ride to support a worthwhile charity MIND, who support many people across the country.

Thank you

Eric Stapleton

I’m raising money for MIND as they provide help, advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Anyone or any family can be affected at anytime in their lives and I want to help this amazing charity. Help these people that are needing support. People with mental health conditions deserve just as much support and compassion as people with physical health conditions. As Eeyore once said ``A little consideration, a little thought for others makes all the difference``. Any donations that you can give will be very much appreciated, plus it will help me cross the finish line.

Thank you very much

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We as a team will complete this cycle ride and give support to each other all the way to the finish line. We would be very grateful if you could sponsor us, whatever you can afford.

Thank you.

Michael Fitzgerald, Michael Brown, Eric Stapleton