This year I'm going to be taking on the 3 Peak Challange, I will be climbing Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike in 24hrs, the charity that I'm raising money for  is the Samaritans.

Depression for me before this year wasn't something I understood, it's an illness you can't see or touch, but it is all consuming. I struggled through it in silence, not talking to family and freinds out of fear of being deemed weak or an inconvenience and as a man personally that's something I couldn't handle. It got darker and harder to deal with. If it wasn't for a phone call to Samaritans I honestly don't think I'd be here now.

Speaking to somebody who was a total stranger and without judgment saved me! It's as simple as that and it's opened my eyes, if you can try and reflect on yourself or a loved one, you will know somebody who has suffered or is suffering from mental illness.

Thankfully with help from friends,family and the Samaritans I've rebuilt myself a more open and stronger person but there's still people in our lives struggling.

In 2013 alone, 6,233 people took their own lives in the UK and 475 in the ROI. That is 18 suicides a day and for every one of these people, there are friends, partners, children, relatives, carers and colleagues left behind. Around 17% of people say they have had thoughts of suicide at some point in their life, 6% that they have attempted suicide and 5% confirm that they have self-harmed and with a population of 64.13 million that works out at 3,847,800 attempting suicide! For me the numbers are staggering and preventable.

Thats my reason for supporting The Samaritans and I hope you can help.