A BUDE woman and two supporters have undergone a mighty trek across Dartmoor in order to raise money and awareness for a local mental health support charity.

Kilk Clear Minds is a community-based mental ill health peer support group, founded by Katie Ilsley from Bude.

On Saturday, September 7, Katie, alongside Trevor Chambers and Paul Kingston, set upon the task of walking 30k across Dartmoor as part of the Climb South West event ‘Dartmoor in a Day’. The route consisted of walking across rivers, up hills and through muddy bogs, climbing to 1,600ft — quite the challenge.

Trevor stepped in a week before, doing amazingly well to complete the challenge without any training, whereas Paul and Katie had undergone some training. However, for Katie, this was interrupted with one illness after another and hospital admissions.

Katie said: “We were very apprehensive as although we had the determination and mental strength, we questioned our own physical strength. So much had got in the way of our training plan.”

Katie struggles with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia and two years ago suffered a minor stroke, leaving her unable to walk or talk.

She has been trying to get physically fitter but it has been ‘one knock down after another’. Paul turned out to be a huge support to both Trevor and Katie, with encouragement and setting a good, steady pace.

Katie said: “We didn’t have a time in mind, we were happy if we were last. We did it for personal achievement and to work hard to continue to raise awareness and money of mental ill health.

“We reached the half-way mark and had already felt a sense of achievement. However, the reality set in when we realised we had to walk the same distance over again. We continued on, in our minds remembering why we were doing this, to keep raising awareness of mental illness and Kilk Clear Minds, and for every person who has lost their life through suicide.”

Mental illness is still a taboo subject, although it is much improving, according to Katie.

She continued: “Kilk Clear Minds gives people a place to come to discuss their thoughts, feelings and emotions with people who have or are going through similar experiences.”

Kilk Clear Minds holds coffee mornings on Tuesday mornings at Bude Golf Club and Thursday mornings at the Fryers Tearoom, Kilkhampton, from 10.30am to 12pm each week.

Katie said: “We offer a non-professional service. We do have professional contacts we can put you in touch with or refer you to. There is help available. You aren’t along or the only one struggling, so please reach out for help to someone — whether it’s a helpline, your GP or contacting Kilk Clear Minds — or come along to a coffee morning or one of our workshops.

“We continue to work together to promote positive mental health and lessen the stigma surrounding mental ill health. We need to talk about our wellbeing and mental health daily, to normalise these conversations and lessen the stigma. If there wasn’t a stigma more people would reach out for help.

“People are scared of being ridiculed or often feel embarrassed of what people will think or say. Some feel that they would be a burden on those around them if they are struggling.

“Your thoughts and feelings when suffering with mental ill health aren’t always rational or logical, so if you can see someone is struggling, ask them how they are feeling, support them and reassure them.”

Kilk Clear Minds is also trying to reach out to more people in the farming community, as Katie explained: “Every week in the UK one farmer dies by suicide. On average there are 16 suicides per day in the UK. Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK.

In 2018 the World Health Organisation reported 800,000 deaths were caused by suicide in the world with many more attempts of suicide not resulting in death.

“These are not just statistics, these are human beings who were struggling with mental ill health who didn’t receive the help they needed, that have left behind family and friends in utter despair and confusion, never able to get answers.

“The people who died by suicide were in such a bad place they could see no way out. We don’t ever want anyone feeling that way. If you think someone is struggling, ask them, how are they feeling, do they need help or support? They may be too scared to ask. We don’t want them being another statistic.”

Katie has struggled with her own mental ill health, and this is why she would like to try and help others.

She continued: “We proved to ourselves that whatever obstacles life throws in your way, both physical or mental, if you have the determination, belief, support and professional help needed you truly can achieve your goals. It will be tough and will take time, but you can do it. We did it as a team supporting each other all the way.

“We finished the walk, and it felt like the most amazing thing to do. We can’t wait to take on the 50k next year as a bigger and stronger Kilk Clear Minds team!”

The trio have so far raised £500, which will go directly back to Kilk Clear Minds to help fund further projects within the community. And one final message from Katie: “Remember it’s okay not to be okay. Let’s talk.”

For more information about Kilk Clear Minds, visit their Facebook page.