We celebrated the launch of our Friends of Riverside with a VIP river cruise aboard Hobbs of Henley’s Hibernia last Wednesday evening during Mental Health Awareness Week with our new Patron, James Cracknell OBE.
On a perfect sunny evening, Friends and special guests enjoyed a champagne reception and canapes and got the opportunity to meet and talk to James. The evening was sponsored by Hobbs of Henley who we have a long-term partnership with and Trustee Nicki Williams-Gray.
Friends of Riverside was launched earlier this year to provide regular financial support for our vital services in the community.
Riverside’s CEO, Sophie Welling said, “When we met with James, his story was so powerful, and it resonated really strongly with what Riverside is about. There can still be some misconceptions about mental health support and quite a lot of stigmatism around accessing support when you’re in need. His story shows the huge difference that charities such as ours can make to people’s lives. In the last year we have delivered 5,500 counselling sessions to over 300 people locally. Our being a local charity is what makes Riverside really special.”
James said, “It was a really easy decision when I was asked to be involved with Riverside. My story is that I was cycling in America and was hit by a fuel truck which caused a traumatic brain injury. When I came out of the coma, I remember people starting to tell me what I could and couldn’t do and treating me very differently. Recovering from a hidden illness, in one way is very difficult; people can understand a broken leg rather than trauma or mental illness.”
“I often rowed down this stretch of the river shouting at a Hobbs boat for getting in the way and creating wash. Now I feel I’m on a devil’s boat, but it is really nice! I’m feeling very torn! What sport gave me in my recovery was a belief that I was going to get there and I’m going to plot a way of getting there. That side of sport really benefitted me but what I really think hindered me was that you see asking for help as a sign of weakness. So, for a long time I didn’t ask for help and went through a really dark time and I was splitting up from my wife. I then spoke to a friend who said, I’ve been waiting months for you to call. He took me to see a therapist who had worked with him and his friends who were struggling after retiring from sport. That’s when I really saw asking for help as a sign of strength.”
“My barrier wasn’t financial for which I’m very lucky. My barrier was I was afraid to ask and thought I didn’t need it and how do you get it. If you’ve got all misgivings plus the financial barrier it is horrendous. I don’t know where I would be without the counselling I received. What it has made me do is to ask people a bit more than just ‘Hi, how are doing?’ and try and give people the chance to say that they are struggling and have a chat.
“What I have found incredibly useful, is having a space to talk to someone and not being judged. It is really powerful and good for everyone’s health. I think it is a shame that I didn’t do it earlier and you only do it when you’re in real trouble and you need it.”
After the event Sophie added, “The launch of our ‘Friends of’ Riverside scheme was a really lovely event. It was timed to take place during Mental Health Awareness week which is an important week for a charity such as Riverside. The theme of the week was community and our Friends of scheme is all about the local community supporting us as a local provider of mental health services. It was heartening to meet so many active supporters of Riverside. We are incredibly grateful to our new Patron, James Cracknell OBE who spoke very poignantly about his own experience of mental health and the difference that counselling made and to Hobbs of Henley for hosting us on such a glorious evening.”
If you would like to become a Friends of Riverside, from as little as £10/month go to https://www.riversidecounsellingservice.co.uk/home/friends-of-riverside/
