Something a little different, but I wanted to talk about the fundraiser I signed myself and dad up for with work for two reasons. One, to raise awareness of what we’re fundraising for but also two, to talk about how it’s been helping my anxiety which is something I’m really proud of.

At Kaffeehaus Coffee Roasters giving back to our local community is very important to us and we’re proud to already be regular supporters of Point North, but we wanted to do more, and by participating are hoping raise more awareness for this amazing charity supporting our local communities!

So, dad and I are stepping it up and taking part in Point North‘s fundraiser completing 38.7 miles in July to help raise funds to support the 38.7% of children who are growing up in poverty in our wider area of County Durham and the Tees Valley.

“Thousands of children in our own communities are falling behind through no fault of their own. As the cost of living continues to rise, more families than ever are struggling to get by. The need is urgent and growing. This challenge gives all of us a way to do something about it,” – Michelle Cooper, Chief Executive at Point North.

Every mile helps to provide: food, uniforms, bedding, holiday clubs, lessons, and more. And any donation you can give, no matter how small, will help to make a difference To donate or follow our progress please follow the link below

https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-pz314mqzo5lo

By signing up to this fundraiser I have also ended up forcing myself to face my anxiety which has been an unforeseen bonus. Essentially, I get very nervous venturing further than a 20 minute car journey or 15 minute walk (I might delve deeper into the why at some point, but not today), but to get my steps in I have had to and still am pushing myself to overcome my fears. So far I have had some really positive outcomes and endend up enjoying some wonderful longer walks exploring new places. The repetition of positive outcomes and experiences, is slowly creating positive reinforcements to counter my anxieties which I’m really happy with.

Below was my first 4 mile walk. I pushed myself to drive up to the Pennines, about a 30 min drive to a place I’d never been to before, and go for a walk around a reservoir I’d previously known nothing about. It turned into such a wonderful morning. The Smiddy Shaw reservoir along the Waskerly Way ended up being such a wonderful expedition for me. It was a quiet path and we barely bumped into another soul which was fab and just how I like it. The path was well paved and easy to walk, and although a little overcast at first, the clouds soon cleared giving way to tow a warm and the sunny atmosphere and stunning views all around.

And yes, my anxiety did surface at times, but I was generally having a good day and feeling more positive and so I managed to keep it in check and ende up having a wonderful morning out. It may seems like nothing to those of you who don’t suffer for anxiety, but to me this was a pretty big feat and I felt very proud of my achievement. It made me want to go out more straight away.

So, a few days later I headed out for my second 4 mile walk through a more local Nature Reserve. I completed this walk before work one morning and there were a great number of paths to meander through and explore; although some ended up being quite overgrown and narrow this time of year resulting in a fair few nettle stings and bramble scratches haha!

All in all I have really been enjoying working towards completing this fundraiser and I’m generally feeling more hopeful for the future with every new step I take.