In the last few years, I've lost friends and family in my life. A high percentage of these people I lost to mental health. Feeling helpless after the latest passing of a friend I sat wondering if could I do something to help. I started to look up charities that helped with male mental health as this became a subject close to my heart. So after wondering what I could do to raise money the idea of cycling to Malta came to my head. I holidayed there as a teenager with my family as my grandparents had emigrated over there. A 5 or so hour flight would now take me a month of relentless cycling.
I had the outline of a plan what I needed next was a charity. I needed to make sure the was for me so I worked on this.
I set about it. I spent an evening looking up charities: reading mission statements and reviews of help given. Then a logo and name caught my eye, CALM. I clicked on to the webpage and started browsing. Within a few minutes, I was set on this charity. An email and return phone call later I was full steam ahead with CALM. Fully supported by my contact Lucy I feel I'm ready to take on the challenge of planning everything in the coming months.
Who are CALM?
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) are an award-winning charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK.
They started out a pilot project in 1997 by the Dept of Health in Manchester but this was then to be shut down in 2004 by the same department that opened them. Due to the demand of people who still wanted the service and support by local councillors on 31 March 2006 CALM was relaunched as a stand-alone charity. The launch was supported by MTV with adverts on the channel.
Pre 2011 CALM was aimed at 15-35-year-olds but after noticing that a vast majority of the incoming calls were from over 35 they changed the demographic they targeted. They now cater to any male who just needs someone to talk to. They do this via a nationwide phone number (0800 58 58 58) and online web chat between the hours of 5pm and midnight 365 days a year!
On September the first, I will be departing from Cheltenham to make the 2000+ mile trip to Malta.
I've now lost an uncle and 3 friends to mental health. Now is the time for action to help where i can.
What can you do to help?
My next post will be my route though the UK. Followed by France, Italy and Sicily
Till next time Keep spinning.
Mike....And Lola.
I had the outline of a plan what I needed next was a charity. I needed to make sure the was for me so I worked on this.
- A mental health charity
- Down to earth people to work with.
- A support network willing to help.
- An organization that I believed in.
Who are CALM?
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) are an award-winning charity dedicated to preventing male suicide, the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the UK.
They started out a pilot project in 1997 by the Dept of Health in Manchester but this was then to be shut down in 2004 by the same department that opened them. Due to the demand of people who still wanted the service and support by local councillors on 31 March 2006 CALM was relaunched as a stand-alone charity. The launch was supported by MTV with adverts on the channel.
Pre 2011 CALM was aimed at 15-35-year-olds but after noticing that a vast majority of the incoming calls were from over 35 they changed the demographic they targeted. They now cater to any male who just needs someone to talk to. They do this via a nationwide phone number (0800 58 58 58) and online web chat between the hours of 5pm and midnight 365 days a year!
On September the first, I will be departing from Cheltenham to make the 2000+ mile trip to Malta.
I've now lost an uncle and 3 friends to mental health. Now is the time for action to help where i can.
What can you do to help?
- Ride with me! Details to follow.
On the second Sunday of every month I will have a ride with me from Leisurelakes Cheltenham where customers and friends can join me for 40 miles with a cafe stop. - Join me on September first for the first leg of the trip.
This will be a grand depart so to speak. More info to follow, closer to the time. - Follow and share my posts and use the hashtag #Cheltenham2Malta
- Sponsor me
My next post will be my route though the UK. Followed by France, Italy and Sicily
Till next time Keep spinning.
Mike....And Lola.
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