On November 3rd, the Xpand team braved the heat and walked on fire to support Mind in Bradford, a mental health charity. Here’s how it went…
As we arrived, outside Leeds Art Gallery on a cold November night, usually we’d turn to a hot drink to warm us up, not walking barefoot across a bed of red-hot embers!
We signed in, received our Mind t-shirts and then as the time was getting closer to the walk, nerves were starting to kick in. Next, we were called over to begin our training by Scott Bell, from UK Firewalk, and all our anxieties went away. All our questions were answered and we were able to go into the walk calmly and with a clear mind.
Once training had been completed, it was time to fire walk. The thermometer registered the heat of the coals at 600 degrees Celsius but that didn’t stop us. Cheered on by friends, family and spectators, one by one everyone queued up, removed their shoes and socks, took a deep breath and walked across. The next thing we knew, we were on the other side of the coals, and the buzz was immense. It showed that it’s all mind over matter and you can achieve anything when you put your mind to it.
£1,250 raised by team Xpand
As a team, Jag Panesar, Danni Johnson, Nayar Pervez, Fran Watson & Matthew Judd raised £1,250 for Mind in Bradford, with a total raised of £3,453. We’re delighted to have been able to contribute to over a third of the total amount raised.
We are so grateful to all of those who donated to us and to know that the money raised will be used to support people in our area who struggle with a mental health problem.
We also received a lovely email from Hayley Smith, Marketing and Communications Manager for Mind in Bradford, thanking us for taking part she said “Thank you so much for taking part – you are all stars.”
Why Mind in Bradford?
Mind in Bradford is a mental health charity which is part of a network of 125 local minds across England and Wales. They provide mental health and wellbeing support in Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven.
With 1 in 4 of us now experiencing a mental health problem, Mind in Bradford aims to make sure that no one struggles alone with poor mental wellbeing. They are there for you 365 days a year, whether that’s:
- Talking to them for confidential, emotional support
- Finding support for children and young people (ages 8-25)
- Taking part in wellbeing and recovery groups
- To access their befriending service when you’re feeling isolated
- Or to get urgent help and support, when and where you need it most.
There are three ways you can support your local Mind, and that is fundraising, volunteering or joining their team.
How you can get involved
If you’d be interested in raising money for Mind in Bradford, you can contact them via email: [email protected] or telephone: 01274 730 815.
