Emily’s Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

On the 12th June I hope to complete the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge. The Yorkshire Three Peaks route is 24 miles (38.6km), and includes 1585m (5200ft) of ascent. It takes on the peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, part of the Pennine range, that encircle the head of the valley of the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. I will be walking with a group of five other ladies and we aim to complete this challenge within one day.

In my work as a Clinical Psychologist I have the privilege of meeting amazing families and young people who are struggling with neurodevelopmental conditions. What I do in my role in the NHS is a drop in the ocean compared to what these young people and families face. I have worked with two amazing organisations who offer incredible support who I would like to fundraise for as part of completing this challenge*.

Tourette’s Action

Tourette Syndrome is an inherited, neurological condition, the key features of which are tics (involuntary and uncontrollable sounds and movements). Living with tics is not easy, particularly when you are getting to know yourself and the world as a teenager which is often when these types of sounds and movements peak. Tourette’s Action not only support research into treatment for this condition but they also provide a positive, supportive virtual and real word environment where young people with tics and their families can come together.

Tourettes Action (tourettes-action.org.uk)

Nova Respite Care

Caring for young people with learning disabilities, autism and related conditions is a 24/7 job. Families are quietly getting on with doing this every day, providing a level of support that even professionals struggle to do and often starting their days at 3am when their young people wake. Respite care is an essential part of what enables these families to keep going, knowing that their young people will come home happy from an environment where they’re cared for just as much as they would be at home. Nova is a small, local, non-profit organisation that provides this type of environment, as one of their team said “it’s not rocket science, it’s a quiet space, access to the outside weather permitting and a small team of familiar faces”.

Home | Nova Children's Project
(novachildrensproject.co.uk)

About Me

I’m a nearly 40 year old (!) Mum of three children. I work two days a week in children and young people’s mental health services in Kent as a Clinical Psychologist and two days a week for the Anna Freud Centre in London providing a PostGrad Diploma course in working therapeutically with children aged 0-5.

*all funds raised will be split equally between these organisations.