High Sheriff completes ultra-triathlon across Cornwall

Jane Hartley, High Sheriff of Cornwall, cycled 90 miles, swam 1.5 miles and ran 5.5 miles from Torpoint to Land’s End to raise money for her new fund. Jane completed her ultra-triathlon in just 12 hours.

Jane has launched a fund introducing sport and outdoor activity to young people with mental health issues and has taken on a challenge to attempt eight sports she has never tried before to raise funds during her shrieval year.

1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year:

• Men in the UK aged 20 to 49 are now more likely to die from suicide than any other cause of death.
• The majority of violent crimes and homicides are committed by people who do not have mental health problems. People with mental health problems are more dangerous to themselves than they are to others: 90 per cent of people who die through suicide in the UK are experiencing mental distress.
• People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover.
• 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 – 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder – that is around three children in an average class of 30 schoolchildren. One fifth of children with mental disorders have more than one disorder.
• Between 1 in every 12 and 1 in 15 children and young people deliberately self-harm.
• To maintain a basic level of health, children and young people aged 5 to 18 need to do at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Jane said “Cycling, swimming and running from Torpoint to Lands End – the entire length of the south coast of Cornwall – was a challenge I will never forget.  That’s not to say that my sporting goals for this year are behind me. I pledged to try eight new sports during my year in office and I still have four to go. So far, I have tried my hand at wheelchair tennis, fencing, gig rowing and a biathlon. Next up, tag rugby!”

Jane’s aim is to raise £50,000 and offered match funding for all the donations: “I pledge to match fund every penny you give. Let’s make a difference together!”