A GROUP of colleagues from Lloyds Banking Group are set to conquer the Great Wall of China when they take part in ‘Walk the Talk’ in aid of Mental Health UK.

One of those taking on the challenge and trekking the Great Wall is Kevin Toovey, senior bank manager covering Farnham, Aldershot, Farnborough and Fleet branches and lifelong Haslemere resident. He is travelling to China this weekend and completing the challenge from September 15 to 23.

‘Walk the Talk’ is Lloyds Banking Group’s signature fundraising campaign this autumn, which aims to get people walking and talking about mental health, helping to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness while raising £250,000 for Mental Health UK.

Kevin, along with a team of 34 colleagues, is taking on the 36-kilometre trek along the Great Wall of China, while thousands of colleagues participate in around 200 walks across the UK.

Having originally aimed to raise £4,000 towards the £250,000 target, Kevin surpassed this and has currently raised more than £12,000 on his JustGiving page.

As well as trekking, Kevin will also lend a hand in repairing the Great Wall. The team will help carry bricks from the bottom of the wall to repair the watchtowers.

Mental health is an issue that is particularly important to Kevin, whose close friends lost their daughter Jasmine to problems associated with mental health last August.

He now wants to encourage others to open up and ask for help, reducing the stigma around mental health which he believes stops people talking about how they are feeling or admitting there is an issue in the first place.

Kevin said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and even though it will be one of the toughest thing’s that I have been involved with, I am excited to rise to the challenge and have done lots of training in preparation.

“My main motivation lies in the impact that I know the money I have fundraised will have, especially as I am familiar with how life-changing a mental illness can be.”

Fiona Cannon, group director of Responsible Business at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We wish everyone the best of luck as they set off on the Great Wall of China trek. Their commitment to training, fundraising and raising awareness of this important cause sits at the heart of our ambition to help Britain prosper.

“The money raised will enable Mental Health UK to expand their specialist support network and reach out to the places and people who need their help the most.”

In 2017, colleagues and customers raised £4.8 million enabling Mental Health UK to build and launch their unique Mental Health and Money Advice service.

Fundraising in 2018 will allow the charity to expand their specialist support network and reach out to the places and people who need their help the most by:

? Creating, printing and distributing a brand new mental health information guide

? Funding more face-to-face support groups

? Expanding their support services to double their reach.

Visit Kevin’s JustGiving page at www.justgiving.com/kevin-toovey, to make a donation.