A BROMSGROVE campaigner has undertaken a 12-hour table tennis marathon to raise £3,000 for a charity close to his heart, writes James Reid.
Paddy Crump’s event – held from 9am to 9pm last Friday to coincide with World Mental Health Day – saw him battle it out with 70 opponents. They ranged from six years old to 70.
The cash raised will go towards the Bromsgrove Youth and Community Hub to better support young people struggling with mental health in the local area.
The herculean feat took place in the hub.
Paddy hopes the funding will allow the venue to be open between 9am and 9pm full-time to provide a space for young people to access support when they need it most.
Paddy, an avid campaigner for youth mental health across social media, wanted his event, not only to be fun, but also to get people talking about mental health
“Behind every statistic is a person struggling.
“Too often, young people wait far to long for help.
“This is about raising awareness, raising funds and showing the power of our community to come together.”
Paddy was overwhelmed by the amount of people who turned out and described the response he received as ‘incredible’.
“Some of the younger ones could barely see over the table.”
‘It’s good to talk’
He was also delighted that those who came to play or watch openly spoke about mental health and the issues surrounding it.
Mental health in young people is a topic which particularly resonates with Paddy who has struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety since the age of 13.
The original target of £2,000 was more than matched as the fundraising reached far and wide.
Paddy added: “We achieved everything we wanted and more.”
