Kim Ritchie

I'm fundraising for Fynn Ritchie

31 Miles for Mental Health – Fynn’s Story

This May, I’m walking and riding 31 miles for mental health — one mile for every day of the month — for my 16-year-old son, Fynn, and the thousands of other young people quietly battling mental illness.

Fynn has given me permission to share his story.
He’s struggled on and off with his mental health over the past few years, but since we moved to the UK five months ago, things have become much harder. Leaving behind his friends, his school, and everything familiar has been incredibly tough — especially when you’re already carrying the weight of depression.

Trying to access support here has been an uphill battle. I knew services were stretched (just like in Australia), but it’s not until you’re trying to find help for your child that you realise just how overwhelmed and broken the system really is. Bookings are closed. Waiting lists are endless. And so many families, like ours, are left feeling helpless and alone.

Mental health has touched my life in more ways than one — through Fynn, through family members I grew up with, and through many students I’ve taught over the years who’ve carried invisible burdens into my classroom. Being a teenager is hard enough — add mental health challenges, and it can feel impossible.

But it doesn’t just affect the person who is struggling.
Mental illness takes a toll on the whole family.
Watching someone you love suffer is heartbreaking. As a parent or carer, it can be isolating, frightening, and emotionally exhausting. It impacts every part of life — relationships, routines, and the mental well-being of everyone in the home.

Those of you who know me, know I’m not one for sitting around doing nothing.
I’m tired of crying. I’m tired of feeling isolated and powerless.
It’s time to get up and do something that actively helps — not just for Fynn, but for all the young people out there who need more support, more awareness, and more action.

So I’m moving — walking, riding, and showing up one mile at a time.

And on the days when he can, Fynn will join me.
Even if it’s just a short walk, we’ll take those steps together. We’ll share the journey online, and your encouragement — even a kind comment — will mean the world to us both.

We’re raising funds for Mental Health UK, a charity helping to make mental health support more accessible in local communities. Just £25,000 could fund 75 community support groups for six weeks — safe, welcoming spaces for people to talk, listen, and feel less alone.

If you can spare a few pounds, share our story, or leave a word of encouragement, we’d be so grateful.

Let’s keep talking about mental health.
Let’s make it easier for people to get the help they need.
And let’s show our young people — and their families — that they’re not alone in this.

Every step counts.

#31MilesForMentalHealth #SupportFynn #MentalHealthMatters #KeepTalking #OneMileAtATime