On the 10th of August 2024, I’ll be joining gig rowers from across the country to become a Cornish Barbarian and complete the epic Cornish Barbarians Summer Marathon Row.
I’ll be on the water at the crack of dawn and will row 26.2 coastal miles right through the day, with a crew I’ve never stepped foot in a Cornish Pilot Gig with and through absolutely everything that the Cornish elements can throw at me... all for an incredible cause: Georgia’s Voice, the women’s suicide prevention and mental wellbeing charity, and in support of their mission to raise critically needed funds to build a Lifesaving Hub for Young Women in Cornwall.
Georgia’s Voice’s support groups have already created a huge network of support and understanding for young women throughout Cornwall who are in need of a safe place to turn.
The safe spaces that Georgia’s Voice currently provide enable young women to talk and to really be listened to – with empathy, with understanding and without judgement.
However, at a time where the suicide rates in young women under 24 in the UK are the highest since ONS records began in 1981, there is a critical need for a dedicated space in Cornwall where emotional support is readily available.
This is where Chy at the Village and The Village Kitchen will come in.
Known as the Georgia’s Voice Lifesaving Hub, Chy at the Village and The Village Kitchen will be a sanctuary for young women to come together, to receive emotional support, to build connections and to find their “village”.
Comprising a dedicated support hub and a café (the ongoing operation of which will sustainably support the hub), this will be the first facility of its kind in Cornwall for young women to learn new skills, express themselves, discover ways to nourish and nurture their mental health and – of course – talk... and be listened to.
Currently, when a young woman is in desperate need of support, they often can’t wait until the next scheduled in-person or virtual support meeting. Once the lifesaving hub becomes a reality, there will always be a safe space in Cornwall that is accessible on the terms of those who need it the most.
Georgia’s Voice are raising £50,000 to make the Lifesaving Hub a reality, and every penny that I raise with the Cornish Barbarians will contribute to their overall goal.
Put simply, by donating some money in support of my Cornish Barbarians Marathon Row attempt, you’ll be directly helping to save lives of, and improve the futures for, young women throughout Cornwall.
Thank you so much for your support!