My Story

I am taking part in a triathlon on 18th July 2021 which consists of a 1.9km/1.2mile swim, 90km/56mile bike & half marathon run.

As part of this I'd like to raise a bit of money to go towards the Max Hunter fund within the Mintridge Foundation, a charity which means alot to me. A little late to start a fundraising campaign maybe, but better late than never!!

The Max Hunter fund was born out of an absolute tragedy, that occured to an old school friend of mine, and any money raised by the fund is used to help prevent similar tragedies.

I've copied an extract from Mintridge's materials below, which explains in greater depth what Mintridge is about and the great causes they champion.

Any donations, big or small, are greatly appreciated :) 

As a group of friends, we have been deeply shaken by the loss of our dear friend, Max Hunter who died by suicide in August 2019, aged 28.

Suicide and mental health continue to be incredibly difficult topics to talk about, particularly for young people and that is why we are determined to change that narrative.

Max was a great supporter of the Mintridge Foundation and enjoyed fundraising for the sports charity including the #Miles4Mintridge cycle in May 2019. Max was the biggest believer in using sport for positive change, he particularly loved rugby (an avid Northampton Saints fan) and cricket. Max also loved using sport to help his mood, notably golf. Sport and mental health has a strong connection.

We have found that it’s not always as simple as “opening up”, but what we want to encourage is for everyone to acknowledge their feelings on a regular basis and that is why we have created the Max Hunter Fund within the Mintridge Foundation.

The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport.

Mintridge's team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as FItSwarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.

The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.

Valuable funds raised will go towards keeping our much-loved friend’s fun, caring and sporting memory alive as well as changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes in the process. We will deliver mentoring programmes across the UK focussing on Max’s favourite sports and encouraging a new dialogue around how to look after our mental health just as we do our physical.

Students and their families across Mintridge programmes will receive access to Believe Perform which is the world's leading source of performance psychology, well-being and mental health content for the sport community thanks to the Max Hunter Fund.