Chris and Lu's 3 Peaks challenge
Your fundraising helps us to be here 24/7, for anyone in the UK who needs urgent mental health support.
We caught up with Chris and Lu, who make up team Peaky Grinders, after they took on the UK 3 Peaks fundraising challenge for Shout.
Here they tell us what motivated them and how they got on.
Testimonials
We raised money for Shout because they were there for us when we needed them most
What challenge did you take on for Shout and why?
The National 24hr 3 Peaks Challenge - Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon. What better way to feel like you’re on the way to conquering your own mental health than climbing the UK’s three highest mountains!
What motivated you to fundraise for Shout?
Around 18 months ago, Lu was in the depths of depression and an anxiety disorder, leading to her planning a suicide attempt. One night, she saw Shout mentioned on social media and, feeling like she had exhausted all other avenues, sent them a text.
For the next hour and a half, a wonderful Shout Volunteer messaged with Lu, calming her from her moment of crisis. The volunteer advised Lu to reach out to those around her for help and try to get a plan in place for moving forward. We will be forever indebted to Shout, as we truly believe the text service saved her life.
Testimonials
When people feel like they are so in the dark, Shout can help you see even just a little bit of light to grab hold of and keep going with.
Did you find the fundraising challenge beneficial for your own mental health?
It was beneficial in so many ways. For one, training for the challenge meant that Lu had to get out and walk (A LOT), which was massively beneficial for her mental health. There was a point where Lu didn’t leave the house for six months and is now regularly out among nature! Then you have the aspect of knowing the money you raise will help someone else who is feeling helpless. There is no better feeling!
What were your highlights?
The huge sense of achievement and feeling stronger physically and mentally since beginning the training. Seeing Chris at the bottom of Snowdon knowing that Team Peaky Grinders had completed their mission was another huge highlight, as was raising over £2,000 for a fantastic charity!
What did you find difficult? How did you overcome it?
20 minutes into the challenge, Lu was withdrawn by one of the guides due to an existing injury that meant she couldn’t keep up the required pace to complete the 3 Peaks in 24 hours. That was a huge blow after months of preparation.
After a good cry, she dusted herself off and decided to walk the mountains alone as far and as high as she could. In the meantime, Chris was still with the pack and managed to summit all three like the warrior he is!
What would be your advice to help others make the most of their fundraising activities for Shout?
We’d recommend setting up a page on social media to document your training and update friends and family. Share all the highs, the lows and the bloopers!
If you feel comfortable, be as honest as you can about why you’re raising money for Shout. Take people on the journey with you. The more they feel part of it, the more inclined they will be to donate. Good luck and enjoy every minute!
We're so grateful that Chris and Lucy fundraised for our service so we can continue the vital work that we do.
We're also incredibly glad that we could be there for Lu when she felt like she couldn't open up to anyone else.
