Service users reach new heights by tackling Mount Snowdon

BSMHFT service users and staff tackled the dizzy heights of Mount Snowdon recently, to raise over ￡1,000.

Five members of our Solihull Early Intervention Service, consisting of a psychologist, nurse, occupational therapist, student paramedic and a health instructor along with five service users decided to take on the 3,560ft sunrise challenge to raise ￡1,145 for people diagnosed with psychosis.

The Solihull Early Intervention Service supports people living with psychosis, a term used to describe symptoms that affect a person’s beliefs, thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Psychosis can cause someone to misinterpret or confuse what is going on around them. For example, a person who is experiencing psychosis may hear voices others cannot hear. This can be extremely distressing and can often interfere with day-to-day tasks.

The service offers various treatment plans such as psychological interventions like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to work through any trauma experienced and medication to help relieve symptoms. The service also offers social interventions which includes walking, fishing and arts groups, many of which are over and above what the NHS is able to provide. The team took it upon themselves to begin fundraising for the activities that help to improve service users’ experience of our care.

Together, the team braved the eight-mile Mount Snowdon trek, covering the rocky Welsh terrain. This challenge was the second the group has completed after conquering the Wrekin in Shropshire.?

Andrew is one of the service users who took part. Speaking about the experience, he said:

“After being bed bound for two years, I never thought I would be going on weekly walks let alone climb a mountain! Thank you to the team for putting on these adventures, which really help.”

Together, the group managed to reach the summit in an impressive two hours, 45 minutes.

Reflecting on the journey, Luke Rose , Clinical Lead Health Instructor at BSMHFT, said:

“Huge high fives to the service users who took part and who were able to overcome all their obstacles. This initiative aimed to combine the benefits of physical exertion with the peace and beauty of nature, to improve mental health wellbeing. Our objective was to provide participants with a positive experience that promotes exercise, relaxation and bring about a strong sense of community.

“So far we have raised ￡1,145 which is brilliant. All donations have enabled people who ordinarily would have never left the house, have social anxiety, a fear of heights and much more accomplish something they would never have dreamt of – all whilst suffering with first episode psychosis. Later this year we hope to take service users on a two-day expedition in canoes on the River Wye and for next summer we plan to take on Scarfell Pike in the Lake District.”

If you have been inspired by our service users to take part in a charitable adventure, why not sign up for Caring Minds’ Starlight Snowdon Challenge? Taking place on Saturday 30 September into Sunday 1 October, have the experience of a lifetime whilst making a difference to the lives of our service users! Contact the Charity team to sign up, find out more on Caring Minds’ web page .?