Helping Young People Climb Past Anxiety

Suicide is the number one killer of men under 50, and 7% of UK children have attempted suicide by the age of 17; that's two children per average class size!

When anxiety in individuals goes unchecked, tragic outcomes like these can occur, especially among young people.

Beyond these extreme cases, however, anxiety has so many other crippling effects.

What Inner Flame did for Chloe (name changed)

In a recent UK study, 46 percent of young people say that finding a job now feels “impossible,” with a similar percentage saying “they don’t feel in control of their lives.”

This is why we're raising money for Inner Flame's "Manage Anxiety - Your Way" programme.

Through impactful programmes, Inner Flame inspires and empowers young people like Chloe to climb past their anxiety and towards their potential.

In October, a team of eight of us, united by a passion for helping young people be their best selves, are competing in a grueling, two-day Alpine race.

We aim to cover over 42km (marathon distance) and 2000 metres of ascent at altitude. So it’s going to hurt!

By supporting us through this grueling challenge and other fundraising events, we can fund two 8-week programmes and help 10-12 disadvantaged young people like Chloe (name changed).

*NB: all money donated goes towards Inner Flame. The cost of the alpine challenge is covered by us individually.

Please select Gift Aid if you can.

Why This Is Important to Team Member Alex Stanley

"I will never forget the day I first suffered from acute anxiety. I was 30 years old, and it had been a tough six months, with troubles both in my relationship and at work. I was walking home after work and went to the supermarket to buy dinner. My mind was racing, I became paralysed with fear, and I was unable to choose what to buy. So I sat down in the middle of aisle 4, buried my head in my hands and began to cry. The real problem, however, was the longer-term knock-on effects that proceeded. My confidence ebbed away, I turned inwards, and I began to lose my sense of what a positive future might look like. I learned the hard way that anxiety is not just a crippling health issue; it also prevents you from being your best self, giving to the world, and aspiring to reach your full potential."

Why This Is Important to Team Member Shannon Smith

Having seen the effects of poor mental health in myself as well as family and friends, it really highlights the importance of educating people about mental health and how to navigate it. Especially young people, as the world is the noisiest, it has ever been.

Why This Is Important to Team Member Caroline Palmer

Why This Is Important to Team Member Jim Hughes

As a coach, I spend so much time helping adults overcome their fears to achieve what they’re capable of. So many of these adults come from privileged backgrounds with supportive families.

I can only imagine the tough journey for disadvantaged young people, some with zero family support, a crippling lack of confidence and limited access to opportunities.

If I can help even a handful of these people navigate this journey, it’s worthwhile.

Why This Is Important to Team Member Ben Taylor

Mental health in young people was at a crisis point even before the pandemic, so there will be horrifying statistics coming out of the last few years. It is an unbelievably difficult time to be a disadvantaged young person grappling with mental health issues, devoid of hope with nobody to help them navigate some of the most challenging yet formative years of their life. However, I believe every person deserves to live a happy, fulfilled life, so I am incredibly excited about every penny we can raise to support these brilliant programmes.

Thank you in advance for showing your support and helping some young people Climb Past Anxiety!