Brave ‘soles’ raise more than £8,000 for Suffolk Mind

More than £8,000 has been raised for our charity by 30 brave ‘soles’ who took part in our Game of Thrones themed event.

A Walk of Ice and Fire took place at The Coddenham Centre, near Ipswich, on 1^st April, giving thrill-seekers the chance to take on one or two challenges.

The fire walk involved people walking on a bed of hot coals smouldering at 600°C, while the ‘ice’ walk required people to walk across a stretch of broken (sterilised) glass.

Our Chief Executive, Jon Neal, also took part in the challenge. He said: “It was great to see so many people take on A Walk of Ice and Fire.

“We’ve been blown away by people’s generosity, despite the continuing cost-of-living crisis, and have certainly been impressed with the bravery displayed on the night.

“Events like this help raise important funds which allow us to continue our vital services, like making counselling available to people who can’t afford to wait for the NHS or to go private. They also bring people together and open up discussions around mental health.”

Walkers could choose to take part in one challenge or both if they dared, with money raised through sponsorships.

Guests also enjoyed live entertainment on the night, as well as ice and fire themed food.

In a special message to all of our Walkers, Julie, our Fundraising Manager, said:  “Watching you each complete your walk (some of you twice over) was fantastic. We hope you are already feeling an incredible sense of achievement and that this will grow when we tell you the event has raised over £8,000 to support us in our mission to make Suffolk the best place in the world to talk about and take care of mental health.

“£8,000 could support 145 free counselling sessions for people in need, or provide mental health education and training for 3 whole primary schools in Suffolk, so a significant result. Thank you!”

Jon added: “Everyone who took part in the event, including our sponsors Barker Gotelee solicitors and George Baker (Shipping) Ltd, and The Coddenham Centre who generously waived their hire fee as their donation, is helping us work towards that goal – and for that, we say a massive thank you.”

If you’re feeling inspired and would like to get involved, take a look at our fundraising events and challenges page, or contact the Fundraising team.

You can also view photos from the night via our Gallery page.