Emma Timmis, who grew up in Derby, UK, and now lives in New Zealand aims to break the world record by running the length of New Zealand, which is about 1,300 miles, in 21 days. This is around 62 miles per day, starting on the 18th of December in Cape Reinga on the North Island.
Accompanied by three people and a campervan, she is planning to eat and sleep on the road, aiming to beat the current world record which is 35 days and 27 minutes.
37 year old Emma is doing this all for charity, fundraising for mental health charities for young people. She plans to fundraise £10,500 for both Young Minds UK, and Youthline in New Zealand, as she is passionate about the minds of young people today.
Emma once suffered a severe leg injury which stopped her running for a few years, causing her to experience depression and anxiety. She says that without the support system she has around her, she wouldn’t have been able to cope, which is why she is so passionate about mental health.
Young Minds UK is the leading charity in combating mental health issues with children and young people, striving to create a world where no young person struggles with their mental health or feels alone. They provide young people with tools to look after their mental health, also empowering parents and adults who work with young people, generally creating a space for young people to be heard and to express their feelings openly.
In 2020 the charity set up a three year initiative that ensures “all young people can get the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.”
The three step initiative starts with ensuring all young people are not alone, they can reach out and receive help at any time. The second step is education in adults, so young people always have a responsible adult to talk to and seek help from. And finally, the third step is building a youth-led movement, where young people can speak their mind and start to make the changes they want to see in the world.
To learn more about Emma’s story, please go to her website.
