We are a group of around 20 staff and service users from Devon Community Opportunities, the local service provided by Rethink. We are mostly from the Tavistock, Totnes, Tiverton and Okehampton areas. Some of us are already regular walkers, some of us are relative beginners.
By taking on this challenge, we aim to prove something to ourselves - that we are capable of achieving this feat of endurance. Teamwork is important, which is why we are meeting each month to do a group walk, making the most of the rugged Dartmoor terrain that is all around us. Some of us struggle with unfamiliar situations, such as meeting new people, or participating in group activities. By meeting regularly for our training walks, we hope to overcome some of these difficulties.
We also hope to prove something to the wider community in which we live and work. We hope that by doing this challenge, and successfully overcoming all of the obstacles we face, we will show that it is possible to live life to the full again, even after being diagnosed with a severe mental illness.
Some of our team are recovering and moving on from their illness, some are dealing with longer term conditions. All of us believe that we can do this!