My Story

Hi,

I'm a member of the Rotary Club of Cuckfield, Lindfield and Haywards Heath. Rotary is an international organisation of over 1.4 million members in over 200 countries. Rotary members volunteer their time by uniting together to deliver projects in communities at home and overseas.

Recently, Rotary Great Britain and Ireland have formed a partnership with Bipolar UK to raise awareness of this condition and to offer help in whatever way possible and our club is joining in the Pole to Pole challenge with each member aiming to contribute to the goal of walking the equivalent distance of North Pole to South Pole (20,004 km)over the course of the next several months. This challenge began in May this year during Mental Health Awareness Week and on 18 August I'll be with a number of club members aiming to walk varying distances along the South Downs Way in Southern England for which we need your help and support. The challenge runs until 30 March 2024, World Bipolar Day when, with a fair following wind we'll be well on the way to those 20,004km!

Bipolar is a severe, lifelong mental health condition characterised by highs and lows. At their most extreme, the highs can lead to delusional thinking and psychosis, and the lows to suicidal thoughts. Tragically, someone living with bipolar is 20 times more likely to take their own life than someone without the condition, with at least 1/20 of all people who take their own life in the UK having a diagnosis of bipolar. 

Which is why the work of Bipolar UK is so important. Bipolar UK is the only dedicated national charity supporting those affected by bipolar, and they currently reach 389,000 people annually in the UK. They offer peer support to anyone affected by bipolar through in-person and online group meetings, call-back and email support, and a moderated eCommunity.

Bipolar UK are aiming to increase their reach to over 1 million people estimated to be living with bipolar in the UK – as well as many more affected through family and friends – and need help to do this through increased funding.

£10 helps someone get peer support from the eCommunity
£50 helps someone get peer support via call-back or email
£500 helps 820 people find information via the website
£1000 helps 13 people get peer support on Zoom
£5000 helps 560 people use all their services for a month to keep well