In aid of her 30th birthday, Rosie completed the daily nursery run in fancy dress to raise money for Place2Be.

What made you decide to fundraise for Place2Be?

"When I set out to do a fundraiser for my 30th birthday, I wanted to focus on three charities that provide mental health support for new families, children and young people.

"Mental health is something I have struggled with my whole life and never really understood the true impacts of ignoring it. Only in the last few years, with the impending arrival of my first child, did I find the courage to seek out help professionally.

"What I hope for my children is that they can get the tools and support they need when they are young to help understand their emotions, and Place2Be provides that."

Tell us about your fundraising challenge – how did it go?

"I set myself a challenge to raise £300 for charities providing mental health support for young families, children and young people to mark turning 30. From 12—15 April 2021, I wore a different fancy dress outfit for the nursery drop-off and pick-up.

"I started the week as an alien and ended it as a dinosaur. I felt nervous each morning, but then the reception I received on the walk from passers-by was so uplifting. Strangers wanted to stop and talk and hear about what I was doing. Other parents at the nursery were incredibly supportive.

"In the end, I exceeded my goal of £300 and raised a total of £586.50, a further £704.38, including gift aid. I could not believe people's generosity in supporting the causes that meant so much to me."

Why do you think supporting young people's mental health is important?

"I strongly believe that if we give young people the right tools from an early age, they will have a better chance as they can recognise when they are struggling.

"Having the opportunity to talk about their mental health from a young age will also help remove the stigma of mental health and help them understand they are not alone."

Is there any advice you may give a young person struggling with mental health?

"Take a breath, give yourself time to process what is happening, and acknowledge why you feel the way you do. When you are ready, reach out to someone you trust that you can talk to.

"It is very easy to think we are alone in our thoughts/feelings and to feel embarrassed, but once you start talking your issues through, you immediately become lighter and happier for being brave in sharing."

What advice would you give anyone taking on a challenge like this, and do you have any tips to help them fundraise?

"I had so much fun doing something authentic to me and my personality. I felt like I needed more time to complete a sporting event, so this was a great way of doing something different, incorporating the local community and my love of fancy dress!

"One tip would be to have a sign or bucket with you for the event. I didn't carry anything with me, and people wanted to know more about how to donate. It would have been more useful if I had a leaflet with info and a bucket for walk-by donations."

Does Rosie's story inspire you?

Supporters like Rosie help make a real difference to children's and young people's mental health. If her story inspires you and you want to find out how to follow in her footsteps and support Place2Be, download our fundraising pack today.