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Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge – Sarah’s story

Posted on | by Paula Palmer

On 12th June, I will be setting off with my wonderful friend, Rai, at 6 am in the morning to complete a 24.5 mile walk over the Yorkshire Peaks of Ingleborough, Pen y Ghent and Whernside.  We have 12 hours to complete the challenge and we will have to tackle 5200 feet of ascent.

Since October 2020 I have been working as a support worker for Services to Independent Living (SIL) and have decided to combine my personal challenge with SIL’s charity of the year to raise much needed funds for Megan Baker House based in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

Megan Baker House (MBH) provides conductive education sessions for children and adults with motor disorders such as Cerebral Palsy, Developmental coordination disorder (DCD), Parkinson’s, stroke and Acquired Brain Injury, and other movement disorders.

I will be doing this walk in memory of two people who have touched so many during their short lives, both of whom were affected by cerebral palsy.

Sam Shepheard was a inspirational young man who loved life and who always greeted you with an infectious smile.  He had a wonderful way of spreading his special blend of ‘Samshine’ wherever he went. Sam very sadly passed away aged 19 in 2016.

My family will never forget my darling nephew, George Fletcher, who was born in 1995 and lived for 10 months but gave so much to us all in his short time here.

I would be so grateful if you would consider donating for this very worthy cause so that Megan Baker House can continue to help people like Sam and George.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sil-25k-challenge

My Running Journey – Jade Perks

Posted on | by Paula Palmer

Where it all started:

Last year I was watching a programme about being overweight and the impact COVID-19 can have on you if you are overweight. At this point I was not exercising and eating whatever I wanted when I wanted. My BMI was obese, so looking at the impact that COVID-19 could have on me and having to young children to look after I thought I needed to do something.

I started a keto diet August 2020; I started this thinking I am not sure this will work because I have dieted before not seen result so did not stick to it.

This time it was a little different as my husband started with me, so it became a little bit of a competition. I found this also helped because I had someone else doing the journey with me. I also had someone to answer to if I cheated.

I started seeing results which really built my motivation an kept me going. I noticed a difference in my energy levels. I have always suffered with migraines which have been severe in the past causing me to go into hospital. I started noticing this was improving to the point I was only getting the odd headaches.

I have always been on Strava and seeing lot of my friends, people I know going out running/cycling/ walking. One day I though hmmm I might go for a run.

My first run was October 20th

I ran for 1.89 miles and it took me 22 minutes, 12.02 minute mile.  At this point I was 1st 10lb down. This is slow for running. I remember the run well, because I felt so out of breath, my legs hurt, and it make me feel sick. I thought to myself I have not even done 2 miles and I am so unfit. I did post it live to my strava for all to see, I was embarrassed but it was for myself to document how far I can go and how much can I improve if I stick at it. I wanted to make my own little journey because this time felt different, my motivation was high, my determination was high. Seeing the results kept me going.

Working from home really helped me because I didn’t have that commute to work so once I put the kids on the bus at 8.15am I had 45mins spare to have my own time and run. Making time and building running into my daily life routine massively helped.

I started running about 3-4 times a week each time running more miles and quicker. On strava it clocks your pace and your personal bests. It gives you little medals, I really liked this as it was something to earn each run. I was then running 5k each morning as I got my time down to around 32 minutes.

There are also segments on certain running routes so you can race other people and join in monthly challenges to earn in your own trophy case. This became a little bit of a competition for me.

I then really wanted to push myself and started running 10K every Sunday. Sunday became the 10k day. New Year I set myself a goal to run in a virtual 10k running competition, this helped me stay focused on what I wanted, something to aim for.

One day I really want to run a half marathon, I have started to push on how far I can go. I have completed 10 miles and then 11.5miles. So close but it was extremally hard.

Some days I wanted to give up, some runs my legs just did not want to carry me. I have had battles with myself in my head because my head wants to do it, but my body is finding it hard. I’ve wanted to see results fast in running speed but not seeing it sometimes made me feel like stopping and saying maybe this isn’t for me but the enjoyment of having my own space away from the house has always outweighed me giving up.

I feel like I have come so far, I never want to start that first run again and feel so unfit. The health benefits with my migraines still at bay and feeling more energised are great.

I even started going to a running club to try it, this is very out my comfort zone. I have never really partaken in a club let alone any sort of exercise club and I was so very nervous because I was worried about being the slowest runner and being left behind.  Turns out I needn’t have been worried I really enjoyed it and was encouraged by all the members – I didn’t feel like I was being judged or like it was a competition.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Posted on | by Paula Palmer


‘There is something to be wondered at in all of Nature’ – Aristotle

We started our SIL 25k mile challenge not only as a celebration of our 25 years in care but also as a way to encourage staff, friends and service users to feel the benefits of exercise on mental well-being.  Many of us were suffering from stress, anxiety and depression as a result of the pandemic.  And so, as the Mental Health Foundation launched the theme behind this year’s campaign as ‘Connect with Nature’ we could see endless possibilities of how we could reap the benefits.  A double whammy of a mental well-being pursuits!

The weather isn’t improving as much as we’d like but there are still plenty of opportunities for taking your exercise out into the big wide world and get a dose of nature too.  Perhaps a walk, yoga in the garden or simply gardening. Bluebells are bobbing their little heads across the countryside this month and birds are tweeting merrily away; so many beautiful sights to take in as you tot up a few miles.

How does connecting with nature help my mental health?

During long months of the pandemic, millions of us turned to nature. MHF research on the mental health impacts of the pandemic showed going for walks outside was one of our top coping strategies and 45% of us reported being in green spaces had been vital for our mental health. Websites which showed footage from webcams of wildlife saw hits increase by over 2000%. Wider studies also found that during lockdowns, people not only spent more time in nature but were noticing it more.

It was as if we were re-discovering at our most fragile point our fundamental human need to connect with nature.  And it is only since a 1960s study in the US found that patients who were treated in hospitals with a view of nature recovered faster, that science has started to unpack the extraordinary health benefits.

Nature and our mental health

During Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, we will pull together the evidence that demonstrates the powerful benefits of nature for our mental health. We will look at nature’s unique ability to not only bring consolation in times of stress, but also increase our creativity, empathy and a sense of wonder. It turns out that it is not just being in nature but how we open ourselves up and interact with nature that counts. We will show that even small contacts with nature can reduce feelings of social isolation and be effective in protecting our mental health, and preventing distress.

Nature is our great untapped resource for a mentally healthy future.

Despite this, many of us are not accessing or benefitting from nature. Teenagers in particular appear to be less connected with nature and around 13% of UK households have no access to a garden. We want to challenge the disparities in who is and who isn’t able to experience nature. Nature is not a luxury. It is a resource that must be available for everyone to enjoy – as basic as having access to clean water or a safe roof over our heads. Local and national governments need to consider their role in making this a reality for everyone, and we will be talking about how they can do so during the week.

What you can do

We invite you to #ConnectWithNature and share what this means for you.

Why We’re Supporting Megan Baker House

Posted on | by Paula Palmer

25,000 miles to mark 25 years is certainly a long road to travel and SIL’s staff, service users and supporters are already beginning to rise to the challenge.

However, underlying this adventure is the hope that between us and with the support of those who can’t be part of the challenge themselves, we can raise funds for Megan Baker House (MBH), our charity of the Year.

MBH has been improving the outcomes of its clients since 2002, running sessional services for adults and children with neurological motor disorders using the method of Conductive Education (CE). CE is a holistic educational movement approach – a way of life and a way of thinking  -where the participant is actively involved in their learning and can transfer the skills and techniques learnt in a session into all aspects of everyday life.

The CE team supports clients with conditions which include Cerebral Palsy, Dyspraxia, Parkinson’s, Stroke, Acquired Brain Injury, and Multiple Sclerosis and those they work with range from a few months old to their mid 80’s.

Based in Ledbury the charity, which relies totally on grants and donations, needs around £3,500 per annum to support each client. MBH uses CE to teach coping mechanisms and techniques to allow participants to learn to manage the difficulties caused by their movement disorder. CE is built on the concept of human potential; the idea that everyone can develop and learn regardless of their starting point.

It is this shared vision that drew SIL to MBH – both organisations use a strength-based approach to their work. It’s not what you can’t do, but what you can do that matters, and SIL and MBH work hard with the service users to ensure they reach their full potential, sometimes defying medical opinion along the way!

Every single journey made by MBH’s clients takes time and motivation. We hope that our 25,000 mile challenge will highlight this commitment and determination to overcome personal obstacles and raise money for our charity of the year.

Please donate today – every pound we raise will go to MBH helping them to continue providing the support their clients need. Visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sil-25k-challenge