Mental illness in Redcar and Cleveland is still on the rise. Shockingly, 1 in 4 of us are affected by mental illness personally or know of someone who needs support. Mental health charity Mind reported a 70% increase in people using their services because of depression and anxiety concerns.

The NHS had 4.3 million referrals for conditions such as anxiety and depression in 2022 which had risen from 3.8 million the year before. Something needs to be done to help address this and reduce the number of referrals related to mental health.

Stepping up to make a difference are Gemma Sharples and Will Davis. Mental strength and pushing yourself beyond what you believe you are capable of are messages they both promote on a daily basis.

Talking the talk is one thing, but walking the walk is something else. Gemma and Will are going bigger than anyone has ever done before to prove what they are capable of and to raise valuable money to support those with mental health issues.

They have each decided to attempt to break the Guinness World Record of the longest distance single event triathlon. Their triathlon will be a 7.2 mile open water swim, followed by a 186 mile cycle and a 46.8mile run - 240 miles in total! All of this with breaks of no longer than 5 minutes at a time.

Who is the current world record holder? Gemma's partner and one of Will's bosses Steven, who set the record less than a year ago!

Friday 23rd June at 6am is the start time of their attempt, with an expected finish time of 1pm on Saturday 24th June in Redcar. As someone who works closely with Gemma and Will, I am more than confident that they both have the desire, physical fitness and mental strength to successfully complete the challenge and raise valuable funds for mental health support. Your donations and messages of support will make a huge difference!