Minds Matter - Atlantic Rowing Challenge 2020

[p][b][i]As serving fire fighters, Stu and Adam have both had to overcome some form of mental health problems during their working life. Coping with the loss of colleagues at work, the regular pressures of making life and death decisions, whilst attending a wide variety of life threatening incidents, or daily pressures such as keeping a roof over their families’ heads. It is of no surprise then that over the last few years we have all witnessed a dramatic increase in mental health issues in the workplace and both Adam and Stu are determined to do something about it, for everyone’s benefit. [/i][/b][/p][p][b][i]One in four people will experience some form of mental health issue in a given year (MHFA England, July 2018). Mental health issues are responsible for 72 million working days lost, costing £34.9 billion each year (MHFA England, July 2018). Poor mental health severely impacts on individuals and their families, especially those in the emergency services. [/i][/b][/p][p][b][i]Stu and Adam are looking to row across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua in December 2020 to raise money for, and awareness of mental health in the workplace. [/i][/b][/p][p][b][i]This challenge is highly physically demanding and very few people have successfully completed it (3,000 miles in 37 days - this will beat a record previously set back in 2017). The duo have been supported in their preparation by students and staff at Solent University who have been and will continue to train Adam and Stu to reach peak physical condition before setting on.[/i][/b][/p]