Canoe crew’s £7k keeps health beacon shining
A CHARITY canoe challenge raised £7,000 while raising awareness about mental well-being during Mental Health Awareness Week.
Six rafted canoes full of 36 willing volunteers paddled to raise funds for Beacon Counselling, a mental health charity in Stockport that provides therapy and well-being services to adults, children and young people.
The 10-mile row brought canoers through the pitch black Merseyway tunnel below Stockport’s Merseyway Shopping Centre and over numerous thrilling weirs.
Joanne Watson at Beacon said: “Our essential counselling services wouldn’t exist without the kind donations we receive from donors.
“Our annual spring challenge is an opportunity to spread awareness of the need for our work through Mental Health Awareness Week and raise essential funds that support our daily costs.
“The teams did an excellent job – it was a challenging activity that required fabulous teamwork and all the groups pulled this off very well, considering most of us were first-timers!
“We’re already looking forward to the 2023 Spring Challenge which will once again welcome willing participants and businesses to register.“
The trip from Stockport to Sale on Saturday, May 14, started from Lower Reddish Vale Country Park, the teams then braved the wet and frequent splashes through Burnage and Didsbury, stopped off at Northenden and arrived in Sale for a welldeserved pint.
Kelly Fotheringham at Nexperia said “This is our second year of supporting Beacon Counselling and it is always a pleasure to contribute towards fundraising for the important work they do, and the positive impact they have, within our local community.
“By collaborating with Beacon this also gives our employees the opportunity to help a local charity which impacts so many, and also helps us to raise awareness on such important social issues.
“It was great to see such a level of teamwork by all the participants who got stuck in and performed brilliantly on the day.”
Cllr Lisa Smart said “This was such a great opportunity to see Stockport from a different angle, all while raising much-needed funds for a wonderful cause. Our team really enjoyed travelling underneath the Merseyway Shopping Centre, seeing Weir Mill from below and getting up close with some of Stockport’s newly hatched wildlife.
“Our arms were certainly stiff after we had finished paddling the 10-mile route but we were delighted to be part of the efforts to promote the vital work of Beacon Counselling.”
For queries about counselling or to book an appointment, contact Beacon on 0161 440 0055 or at admin@beaconcounselling.org.uk