Alba’s Adventures: Fundraising for mental health one step at a time
It’s a sunny March late afternoon, the first signs of spring are bursting through the sprawling lawn. Daffodils sway in the breeze, and wildlife is enjoying a break from the frost and rain of winter. The landscape is filled with optimism as a new season begins. Heacham Manor Hotel is about to welcome someone who embodies this perfectly, donning a pair of well-worn sunny-yellow welly boots.
Meet Alba
It’s clear 8-year-old Alba loves nature, in fact as soon as she arrives at Heacham Manor she spots the duck pond and bounds toward it for a closer look. Alba turns to mum, Sophie, and excitedly points out the birds enjoying their afternoon swim. As she turns, she catches a glimpse of a tree swing and in another burst of speed she runs over to enjoy a well-deserved seat. Alba has a kind of infectious energy that can’t help but bring a smile to your face.
Her enthusiasm and positivity is made all the more impressive by the fact she has just taken part in a 130-mile trek from Withernsea to Heacham. Later, she will complete this stretch of her journey with a comparatively short walk to Hunstanton just under 2-miles away.
(Image courtesy of Ian Burt and Town & Around)
Raising Awareness for Mental Health Charities
Many of us have a personal connection to someone who is affected by mental health. For Alba that person is her dad. From a young age Alba has wanted to raise awareness to support and help her dad and other people like him to change the way we look at mental health. You see for Alba her dad is her hero, and who wouldn’t want to make their hero proud.
Alba’s latest journey is part of her 2023 mission to walk the entire English Coastal Path to raise awareness (and funds) for Mind UK. However, despite her young age this isn’t her first foray into fundraising for mental health charities. Since the age of 6 Alba has been lacing up her walking shoes participating in sponsored walks and has already raised over £28k.
(Image: Alba, Sophie and Marketing & PR Manager, Carolyn)
What’s Next for Alba?
Since January 2023 Alba has walked a whopping 280-miles from Berwick-upon-Tweed to Hunstanton. Tackling the route in sections she will return to Hunstanton this April to tackle the next stretch, Hunstanton to Harwich this time flying the flag for Suffolk Mind. May will see Alba hitting the west coast as she journeys from the Scottish to the Welsh border. Then in the summer Alba will be back on the east coast taking on her longest stretch yet, Harwich to Weymouth.
We cannot wait to keep following Alba’s Adventures. In a recent interview with BBC news Alba said her goal is to raise £100k, and now having met Alba we have no doubt this inspiring young lady will smash her target.
(Image: North Norfolk Coastal Path, Holkham Beach)
Support Alba
If you’d like to follow Alba’s Adventures for yourself, you can visit her Facebook page or website. If you would like to help Alba achieve her target of raising £100k for mental health charities you can donate via her Just Giving page.