I didn't ever want to start a charity, just like I don't really want to go up a mountain.

In the middle of the night.

In the dark!

But sometimes, you're called to something. Although, I confess, I never expected it to be Parenting Mental Health, or indeed Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa.

When my 14 year old daughter, Issy, attempted suicide after being bullied, our world changed completely. I found myself completely isolated from everything I thought I knew about parenting and in desperate need of support, skills, information that I simply couldn't find.

So, in 2016, I set up Parenting Mental Health, just a year after my daughter's first suicide attempt with the aim of offering parents like me a safe space, and the understanding, hope and connection I was so desperately in need of.

A registered charity since 2020, we now support almost 45,000 parents who have a child with poor mental health with a range of support and services.

We offer a 24/7 safe, judgement free peer support community, loads of information (plus a free course) on our website, and opportunities to skill up on courses like 'Partnering Not Parenting', the approach I devised to support my daughter to recovery.

It costs £28 per hour to run Parenting Mental Health - plus a whole load of sweat and tears from our volunteer team - and despite our reach and the impact we have, our annual income is minuscule, particularly compared to some of the more high profile mental health charities (who, incidentally, refer parents to us.)

And that's why I am going up Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa.

In the dark.

In the middle of the night.

(Did I mention I'm going up a mountain in the dark and in the middle of the night?!)

It's not something I am built for, but I am committed to the trek and so excited to be part of the PMH team, to meet other parents and their families who have benefitted from PMH, and to be doing it for every parent who faces the extraordinary challenge of parenting through poor mental health and needs our support.

Every penny I raise will help us to help more parents and, from the messages I get, I know just how impactful, life changing and life saving PMH's work is.

I am so grateful to everyone who contributes to the cause - and to you, if you choose to support PMH and the parents and children who benefit from our projects and programs.

Whatever you can give is deeply appreciated.

Thank you!

Suzanne