Coast 2 Coast for the Pieman PT Foundation

In February 2021 we sadly lost our good friend Lewis Boyd-Hill. Since then, his family have established the Pieman PT Foundation in his name, aiming to empower people to thrive mentally, physically and emotionally. As such, the Pieman PT Foundation considers education on the nature of the mind and how we might better navigate its complex emotions; promotion of a balanced approach to exercise; and reconnecting with our environment through our senses to be the best ways to affect

positive change in our lives.

Following on from our Three Peaks adventure last summer, this month our group is tackling the Coast 2 Coast Cycle challenge in memory of Pieman and to raise funds for the foundation.

What is the Coast 2 Coast Cycle Challenge?

Over the course of the weekend we’ll be cycling over 100 miles, travelling eastward across northern England. Starting in Lancaster, the city Lewis went to university, we’ll make our way over the Yorkshire Dales to finish in his hometown of Hartlepool. There are plenty of cycling casuals among our peloton, so we need all the support we can get!

Why should I donate?

However you knew him – Lewis, Lewy, Boyd, Pie, Pieman, LAJBH, brother, son or friend – he was a special man who had a massive impact on everyone who he knew. Quick witted, charismatic, brimming with wisdom, compassionate, honest (sometimes painfully so) and truly authentic. He was a best friend to many and a comedy genius who never failed to have the whole room in fits of laughter everywhere he went. Lewis was a talented and popular History teacher at Outwood Academy Normanby and inspired students and colleagues in equal measure.

By supporting us, you’ll be helping the Pieman PT Foundation go from strength to strength. Since the initial Three Peaks fundraiser the foundation has become an official organisation (Charity Number:198415) and is developing a website which will act as the hub for all future activity and information. The foundation has also commissioned the first in a series of bespoke benches in memory of Lewis with the aim of creating a collection of outdoor spaces dedicated to reconnecting with oneself and each other, across the country.

Trustees have been building relationships with various organisations that the foundation could work with in the future to create a unified approach. Trustees have also been researching information and identifying best practice in order to create the most effective impact in the areas of education, exercise and environment.

In the future, the money raised will enable the foundation to initially deliver Mental Health First Aid England training to organisations, forming part of a larger offering to support the development of communities that are better equipped to navigate mental health via preventative strategies.