On Sunday 10th September I will be cycling the 55 miles from London to Brighton to raise money for a mental health charity called CPU. I’ve worked there since 2016 - for many years as a volunteer, for a while as Service Manager and now as a member of the clinical staff. I think it is a rare and special place, which offers long term therapy either at very low cost or free of charge. No one is turned away on financial grounds. The people who come to CPU looking for help often have really serious, long-term emotional problems which are affecting their lives in negative ways. By coming to therapy (usually once a week for two years) they are often able to experience meaningful change and come to terms with their difficulties.  This kind of long term help is not available on the NHS and for many people the cost of private therapy is prohibitively expensive.  CPU is a very well-respected and well-established charity, which has been around since 1969.  For 40 years it was publicly funded, but, following the financial crisis in 2008 and the severe cuts to local services which followed, that all changed.  For the last 13 years or so, CPU has had to fundraise all of its annual budget each year to keep going.  Costs are kept as low as possible through the goodwill of all who work and volunteer there, but a substantial amount still has to be raised each year to make ends meet.  Please support CPU if you can and I promise to do my best to pedal up Ditching Beacon (and enjoy the nice downhill bit after that to Brighton!!!)…. Let’s keep long term psychotherapy available to all who need it!