Staff at bed retailer and manufacturer Get Laid Beds have embarked on a charity walk the equivalent of walking to Gambia to raise money for a mental health charity.
40 employees have begun the challenge to walk 7.5million steps (3,452miles) in September in an effort to raise £3,452 for the charity Shout, which that provides 24/7 text messaging for anyone that is seeking help with their mental health and is struggling to cope.
£10 pays for a conversation with someone in crisis, potentially saving a life, while £25 can fund a clinician to provide expert supervision of conversations on the charity’s platform. £250 can train a new Shout volunteer to take life-saving conversations.
Each member of staff will walk 187,500 steps over the month. The first day saw 232,737 steps walked.
‘Our team of bed makers and office staff has taken on a herculean challenge, we’re walking the equivalent of traveling from our barns in Leicester, to Gambia in Western Africa. We are walking for Shout, an amazing mental health text support charity. We’re getting our steps in during lunch breaks and free time, all tracked on the Step Up app. We are getting active and supporting a great charity. If you want to cheer us on? We’ve set up a just giving page. Together, we believe we can make a difference,’ says Scott Shields, Get Laid Beds ceo.