I'm taking on the daunting challenge of kayaking the Thames, 150 miles over a period of 5 days in July. Alongside my amazing colleagues at Wickes, we'll be hoping to raise £50,000, and in doing so to raise awareness of the amazing work YoungMinds do. 

We are going to be in the kayaks for between 8 and 10 hours per day to complete the full challenge in the 5 day window that we have 

Bearing in mind the last time I sat in a kayak I was 13 years old on Lake Windermere, time to get into some serious training (and thats just to fit in the kayak) if I have any chance in making the full 180 miles,  but it a great cause so will be worth all the the pain. 

Anything you can afford do donate will be greatly appreciated by me and the Wickes team completing the challenge and most of all YoungMinds the charity we are doing this for, below is some detail on the great work that they do.

About YoungMinds

YoungMinds is the UK's leading charity fighting for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges.

They are here to make sure children and young people get the best possible mental health support and have the resilience to overcome life's difficulties.

The crisis in children and young people's mental health is real and it is urgent. More children and young people than ever before are reaching out for help with their mental health. But for those who take that brave step, help is much too hard to find.

YoungMinds are changing this. They're fighting for young people's mental health. Join their fight.

Did you know?

-    One in four children show some evidence of mental ill health.

-    Half of all mental health problems appear before the age of 14, with one in four enduring mental health conditions present by the age of 24.

- Three in four children with a diagnosable mental health condition do not get access to the support they need.

Find help

Find out more about what support is available for children and young people.

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/

If you're a parent worried about your child, visit the YoungMinds parents section. 

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/