Publish date: 15 June 2022

My name is Tori Wolfendale and I am Head of Rehabilitation and Recovery Services across the Secure and SPLD Division here at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. 

 

I’m currently training to run the TCS London Marathon in October 2022 to raise money for Mind, the mental health charity.  

By joining #TeamMind, I won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets the support they need. By taking part in the 2022 TCS London Marathon for Mind, I am pledging to raise £2000 to help ensure that no one has to go through a mental health problem alone. I feel extremely passionate about enhancing mental healthcare - having worked in forensic mental health services for 10 years, I firmly believe that more can be done to prevent many of the people I have worked with, and continue to work with, from ending up in crisis in forensic environments. And this is where Mind comes in … every year, one in four of us will experience a mental health problem. Hundreds of thousands of people are struggling with their mental health in different ways - some slipping through the mental healthcare “net”, some discreetly taking daily medication for stress/depression/anxiety, whilst others function highly at work only to go home and fall apart ... 

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Why have I chosen to support Mind through fundraising? 

Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness, reduce stigma and promote understanding. They also believe that no one should have to face a mental health problem alone. They will listen, give you support and advice, and fight your corner … but they cannot do this without our support and fundraising.  

So many of us experienced our own challenges as frontline key workers during the COVID19 pandemic. So many of us are grieving. For many of us living with mental health problems already, our conditions have spiraled over the past 2 years. This is a crisis and it's not going away … but with your help and contributions, Mind can be there - on the phone, online and in local our communities.  

I am running the London Marathon for my own mental health and wellbeing - whether I like it or not, running keeps me mentally well & the anxiety gremlins at bay. I am also doing this marathon on behalf of my friends and NHS colleagues who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, who have bravely continued to show up to work as their best selves - whilst managing their own burnout, vulnerabilities & fragile periods behind closed doors.  

 

How can you help me in my quest to support Mind? 

I’d be so grateful for any donation you can give to help me make a difference for mental health – you can donate to my fundraising page here:  

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tori-wolfendale 

 

#SpeakToMind