Taking the leap for West Sussex Mind: Chris’s abseil story

Chris currently runs The Unleashed Exec, developing leaders and helping businesses improve performance by creating authentic team bonds across the workplace. It was through this work that Chris found himself at a local networking event, where he spoke about the importance of pushing yourself to take on new challenges.

Little did he know, his own inspiring words were about to land him in a rather unexpected situation! Our fundraising manager, Sue, was at the same event and, after hearing him speak, invited him to take on an abseil challenge in support of West Sussex Mind.

Luckily for us, he agreed.

So, on Saturday 19 September, Chris joined a group of brave fundraisers to take on the annual abseil at Peacehaven Cliffs. Showing great courage and skill, he completed the abseil not only once, but three times, and raised an amazing £395 for West Sussex Mind.

With a Navy career behind him, you might think an 115-foot abseil would be a walk in the park. But Chris hadn't abseiled since basic training, and heights remain firmly outside his comfort zone. He reflects candidly on his discomfort at being high up and exposed to the elements: "that feeling of discomfort when being exposed or up high, it sits with me. But it's just a case of having to work through it, and if you can, keep on putting yourself in those environments."

So, despite a career that has seen him take on plenty of challenges, Chris was just as nervous as anyone else when it came to stepping over the edge.

Chris speaks sincerely about the importance of looking after your own mental health. Reflecting on his time in the military, he said that departing the military was “huge, but it wasn't until years later that I realised the impact of losing immediate access to a community.”

Since then, Chris has found that physical activity and his work helping others have played an integral role in his mental health journey. He highlights the importance of feeling good through movement, but, even more so, of feeling good with a sense of purpose.

And perhaps there's no better example of this than his abseil for West Sussex Mind: pushing himself outside his comfort zone, staying active and doing something with the purpose of helping others.

When asked about the highlight of his experience, Chris speaks glowingly about the support he received from his local community. Starting with a £100 fundraising target, he went on to raise an incredible £395 - almost four times his original goal. The support came in quickly, too. “I started with £25, within 24 hours I was up to £190 and then, as I walked up to the cliff, I'd managed to get £395 in the bank.”

Despite smashing his target, Chris is humble about the amount he raised. But we know that the money he raised should not be underestimated in what it can do to help support positive change for mental health in our community.

Finally, when asked what advice he would give someone else considering a fundraising challenge for West Sussex Mind, Chris is unequivocal: "Absolutely do it. Without a doubt."

It was inspiring to hear someone speak so positively about an experience that pushed them to take on a new challenge. Whilst no one can underestimate the difficulty of going beyond your comfort zone, Chris shines a positive light on this as an opportunity: "I really enjoyed it. This isn't something I can go and do on an average weekend, so why not take advantage of the opportunity?"

When asked to sum up the experience in three words, Chris' answer is simple: "Magic. Easy. Fun"

We're incredibly grateful to Chris for fundraising for us and supporting our work. His story is a brilliant example of what can happen when you step outside your comfort zone, find a challenge that matters to you and bring your community along for the journey.

If you're feeling inspired by Chris's story and would like to find out about other ways to support our work, email fundraising@westsussexmind.org