Running for Mind

12 March 2019

Charlotte Lechmere (Lyttelton 13) will be taking on the challenge of running from Paris to London in April, to raise money for Mind.

Charlotte writes, "Running solo from Paris to London is a challenge I created to test my ability physically and mentally and to raise funds for Mind Charity, supporting mental health. I will be leaving Paris on the 11 April 2019 and running for 16 miles a day for ten consecutive days ending under the London Eye on the 20 April 2019.  This is why:

Mental health for me is a subject that needs to be discussed more openly and more often. As a young adult who has faced the pressures of today including school, A levels, university, job searching, social media and all other aspects of a young adult’s life, it has become clear to me that mental health is something than is largely overlooked.

In today’s society there is so much pressure loaded on students but the support needed at times is simply not available. I have watched and helped more friends than I care to admit to through difficult times.  All is well and good when you have a friend to take care of you, who you can talk to, seek advice from and generally off-load onto. Sadly, this is not the case for many young people. It is a very real problem that worries me every day. I worry for friends, family and students everywhere that do not have a support system. I feel people sometimes forget the extended issues that stem from mental health problems, or from simply not coping, such as anorexia, bulimia, excessive drinking, drug use etc.

The most common reason for an individual suffering in silence and not talking about how they are feeling, is embarrassment or shame about showing ‘weakness’.  The idea that these young people are weak is nonsense, there is nothing to be ashamed of.   These feelings do not mean you are inadequate or unworthy, they just mean you are human. My aim is to raise awareness for mental health issues affecting students and young adults and to support Mind in their work.

If you would like to follow me on my journey, please follow my Instagram @charlie_runs2k19. Similarly, my Virgin Money Giving link is bellow and I would be grateful for any donations:

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CharlotteLechmere2"

We wish Charlotte every success on her endeavour.