15,000 ft skydive for local counselling charity

Aim

I'd like to raise as much money as possible for a fantastic local counselling charity whose support has positively impacted so many people

Hello!

I’m not very good at asking for help, so I’m going outside of my comfort zone for this. I have decided to do a fundraiser for a charity that has completely changed my life. I’m not in good enough health to train for a marathon or muddy obstacle course, but after careful thought I have deemed myself fit enough to fall out of a plane at 15,000 feet.

Somewhere House is an important local charity that has positively impacted so many people. They offer one-to-one counselling at a reduced cost for the local community. They also hold community events like drop-in Coffee & Chat sessions, and offer interactive workshops to young people through local schools and colleges.

If you don’t have direct personal experience of accessing counselling, there’s a good chance that you at least know someone who has. We all know that NHS services are strained, and access to NHS mental health support not only comes with a huge waiting list, but is often capped at 12 or so sessions at best. Whilst this is helpful to some, it is not really long enough to establish a solid rapport with someone; to go deep enough into ourselves and share our most vulnerable parts in order to properly heal.

There is always the option of private counselling services. However, most of us cannot afford the hefty price tag (which can be £50-£100+ per session).

I was able to contact Somewhere House to self-refer for sessions with a qualified counsellor. I was privileged to receive a huge amount of support from an excellent therapist. When I say this support changed my life it is not an exaggeration. It has made such a difference to how I perceive the world and everyone/everything in it.

Also - do you know how flipping hard it is to find counselling services for children under 11? Answer: Very. The local NHS Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is not commissioned to provide counselling for children, and many other services are only able to support 11 years+. But Somewhere House can connect younger children with counselling support.

How much does this lifeline cost? All that Somewhere House ask for is a donation that you can afford. This opens up the possibility of counselling to everyone. Since 2011 they have provided over 83,000 hours of support! That equates to a lot of people who have benefitted from this amazing charity.

As previously mentioned, I find it extremely uncomfortable asking for help (one of the many things I better understand about myself through counselling!). Truth be told, it is as daunting to me, if not more so, than the prospect of jumping out of a plane! I also appreciate that the cost of living is challenging, and we are all being asked to support different causes all the time. If you can spare anything; a fiver, two quid even, I’d be so grateful.

For transparency: I will be covering the cost of the jump, so all donations received will go to Somewhere House.

The jump is booked for Saturday 16th May… Eeeek

If you got this far, thank you for reading!

Kel X

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made