Next month I will be hiking and kayaking through the Norwegian Fjords with a group of incredible individuals.

Why? To try and raise as much money as possible in the fight against one of the biggest killers among men, suicide.

Someone in the UK dies by suicide every 90 minutes. Check the time on your phone or computer and try and put that into context.

Suicide is a hugely sensitive, complex issue with a tangled multitude of causes. And unless you've thought that way before, you may never truly understand it.

But what we can say for certain, is that it breaks families, friends and communities and tears apart the lives of those who survive it.  

Of course, suicide does not just target men. Young women under the age of 24 have seen the highest rise in suicide rate since records began.

That is why charities such as CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) are so important. The NHS isn't what it once was, I think we can all agree on that, which has led to people struggling to find help more than ever.

So, thanks to the brilliant Venari Partners, Myself and the rest of the amazing group - who you can learn more about here - will be heading to Norway to try and raise money in the fight against depression and suicide.

Here is the link if you would like to donate.

Now I'll share a little, far from all, of my own experience with mental health.

A little trigger warning here for anyone who suffers from panic attacks

I'm someone who relies on Valium to sometimes function. If I’m planning on flying, Valium, restraints, and a full round of anaesthesia. It takes a lot for me to forget I'm me.

Case in point, panic attacks.

I often get them when my mind simply wanders. When I’m not doing anything and sitting alone, I hear a whisper from the dark “What if you were to panic loads right now?” And like the slave to anxiety that I am, that thought begins to snowball.

Should I go and make a sandwich? Should I go and get a beer? Should I take a shower? Should I go for a run? Should I clean? No matter how bizarre, every feasible remedy for escaping the feeling runs through my head simultaneously. Fun fact, I wrote most of this while experiencing a small one.

Lying down is terrible, standing up is even worse.

So as I'm caught in this painful purgatory of my own making, I end up rocking back and forth looking possessed. I can honestly see myself bolting to the local parish church one day requesting to be exorcised.

According to a 2023 poll of 6,000 UK adults, 20% of people in the UK feel anxious most or all of the time. This is in addition to the over 8 million people who have an anxiety disorder at any given time, which is more than 1 in 10 people. Panic disorders are a harsher form of anxiety, but no more important.

Panic attacks are so cruel, they honestly are. The pacing, the not knowing what to do, the sheer feeling of dread and helplessness. When people say they think they're going to die, that is not a lie.

But when that general feeling of loss of control happens, no matter the mental health condition, charities such as CALM are there to help you get through it.

In 2023, CALM answered over 160,000 calls and webchats. That's more than 3 million minutes of talking to people who need them. This achievement has only been possible thanks to the generosity of CALM's extraordinary supporters.

It costs just £12.20 to pay for a life-saving call to CALM's suicide prevention helpline. So, I ask if you could support the Venari Partners Challenge Team and CALM today and help us save lives.

Here is the link if you would like to donate.

What is CALM?

CALM, or, the Campaign Against Living Miserably, is a suicide prevention charity fighting to reduce the devastating impact of suicide in the UK.

They run a life-saving helpline for anyone affected by suicide or suicidal thoughts. It’s free, anonymous, and open from 5 pm to midnight daily.

Their website has many tools and resources packed with practical, non-clinical advice to make talking and managing mental health easier.

CALM also runs vital campaigns to increase awareness, smash stereotypes, and change the culture around mental health and suicide.

Someone in the UK dies by suicide every 90 minutes. CALM exists to change this.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, CALM is open from 5pm-midnight every day. It is free, confidential and anonymous.

Their number is 0800585858.