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The rate of suicide in Britain has risen sharply to its highest level since 2002, with men accounting for three-quarters of the number of people who took their own life's last year, official figures show. A total of 6,507 suicides were registered by coroners in the UK, which is over 17 deaths each and every day on average.

In light of this and mental health awareness day, I am planning of doing something a little bit different in the name of raising awareness and donations for SECE Mind. Last year 139 people were counselled by them, 170 entered the trauma project, 323 people accessed their Somewhere To Turn Service. Furthermore they provide housing, they train organisations and they raise a lot of awareness to break the stigma and potentially save life's.

Now ..I do not plan to jump out of any aero planes (well not anytime soon) ..or am I planning on running any marathons (after a knee op at 17, a consultant has advised me not to unless I really desire an early knee replacement for Christmas).

I instead plan to wake up in the early hours of the morning in early December, to submerse myself with up to 1,000 other brave souls (The Happy Pear Tribe) in the cold Irish sea, in a little coastal town called Greystones in County Wicklow.

The sea temperature at that time of year should reach an almighty 11 degrees Celsius (52 Fahrenheit) and I willl NOT be wearing a wetsuit. To put that into perspective I normally shower at around 38C and a commercial swimming pool is at around 28C (and I find that pretty cold getting into at first). 

Cold water survival guides state after 1 hour at 10C you risk exhaustion or unconsciousness. I am not sure how long these likeminded crazy people plan to stay in the water for, but rest assured I do plan to come back alive and finish my work plan and close all open improvement actions. 

I plan to prepare myself by way of practicing the Wim Hof breathing technique (a Dutch extreme athlete known as the Iceman and ability to withstand freezing temperatures), and taking plenty of cold showers.

This is a great opportunity to raise awareness and I understand there to be many benefits for mental health, it therefore feels quite an apt thing to do:

1. It can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression

2. Cold water swimming is known to help with blood flow and brain function

3. It can help to destress and relax as it helps to calm the central nervous system

4. Cold water shocks us back to the present
moment, where we need to be!

5.  Feeling of gratitude for nature

6. Connection and community

They say that you may not like the person
going in but you will love the person coming out!

My sincerest thank you
for any support.

Simon

Ps. SG will match 100% of any fundraising I make up to £250 per event.