Row for mental health charities

I recently read on the YoungMinds website that in the UK today, an estimated five children in every classroom has a mental health problem. A quarter of 17-year-old girls have self-harmed in the last year, while suicide remains the single biggest killer of boys and young men. Until recently loosing someone to struggles with mental health felt a world away, something that you only see happens on the news. But then we lost Darcy.

I didn't know Darcy growing up but met her in secondary school, and every time I saw her life would just feel that bit better. I, along with everyone else that knew her, were completely blindsided when we found out about her passing, and this is the same fate of so many all over the world.

Our mental health services in the UK are under-resourced, understaffed and overstretched, a survey from Mind found that 4 in 10 mental health trusts (41 per cent) have staff levels well below benchmarks. This is criminal. And they need our support.

I along with a group of close friends are planning to complete a long distance row across St Austell bay from Fowey to Mevagissey/Gorran Haven then row back in along the coastline on Wednesday July 14th 2021 over a distance of between 20 to 23 miles, taking the entire day to complete.

We would like to raise money for YoungMinds, who offer support to young people both in and out of schools to ensure that no one feels like they should struggle with any mental health issues alone. We are also fundraising for Pete's Dragons, who help people living through the suicide of a loved one and have been incredible supporting many families in Devon.

Please please donate, even if its just a pound, it can go a long way to helping these charities in continuing their missions to make sure all young people can get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.

Even if you can't donate, please share this to friends and family. I can't stress this enough, please check on your loved ones, you never know what they might be going through.