TRIPLE CHALLENGE // The Final Push

After banging on about it for most of this year, my 'Triple Challenge' series is almost coming to an end.  

First, I taught myself to run and ticked off Colour Me Rad in Aberdeen. Then I took to the chilly open waters of Loch Lomond and completed the Great Scottish Swim. Finally, in just 8 days time, I'm going to attempt to abseil 165ft from the Forth Rail Bridge!

Eek!

All of this has not just been as a challenge to myself, but to raise money for the Scottish Association for Mental Health. It's a charity that's close to my heart, not only because of my own experience over the years, but because of the struggles I've witnessed in many others and the sorry situation many mental health services currently find themselves in. 

It's World Mental Health Day today, with this year's event focussing on the theme of 'Dignity'. It's safe to say we've come a long way in our understanding of mental health and we certainly treat those who struggle with far more dignity and compassion than we might have just a few decades back. And yet our already-underfunded and overstretched services are finding themselves spread increasingly thin in the face of NHS budget cuts, meaning many people experiencing mental distress don't have access to that understanding or compassionate response because there just aren't enough resources for everyone. Where's the dignity in an unwell individual waiting 6 months just to be assessed for treatment; or a poorly patient being turned away by services because they meet all but one of the tight criteria; or someone in severe distress being kept in a police cell because the hospital has no beds? 

Charities like SAMH play a huge role in filling some of these gaps. They work at a local level to support people one-on-one; they run a national suicide prevention programme which quite literally saves peoples lives; they campaign for better allocation of resources and for policies that treat people with more dignity and respect; ..and that barely skims the surface of all their work. They shoulder a significant responsibility for the people they support and for the improvements they've pledged to work towards, but these efforts need funding and they rely on the generosity of their donors and fundraisers for a substantial chunk of that.

When I set out to complete these three challenges, I hoped to raise £500 towards their work. Thanks to the kindness of my family and friends, I surpassed that goal some time ago with my total currently standing at £874. I've been really moved by everyone's input and can honestly say that I appreciate every single pound.

With just over a week left until I face my ultimate challenge, I would really love if I could push that total to £1000. It would be the perfect culmination to the year's endeavours for myself and, more importantly, would make a meaningful contribution to SAMH's work. 

All I really need is to find 63 people willing to donate just £2. I'd be really grateful if you felt able to be one of them.  To help me out, text "LBMH98 £2" to 70070; pay a visit to my JustGiving page... and send me lots of positive vibes next Sunday as I'm dangling from a bridge!

 

Thanks in advance!

xo