Expert in Mind raises £3062 for the charity ‘Veterans with Dogs ‘

Following on from our previous blog post about the benefits, both phsycial and mental, of being active and taking up running, a number of the Expert in Mind team signed up to take part in the Blenheim Palace Triathlon in June of this year.

We all felt very brave back in July 2022 when we signed up for the event and before we knew it, there were 13 of us taking part – some from the office and a few of our friends who are regularly involved in our fund raising events.

All but one of us chose to be in a relay team so we could concentrate on training hard for one discipline; especially important to those of us who chose a new sport.

We chose to fundraise for the charity ‘Veterans with Dogs‘. This charity combines so many subjects close to our hearts – helping past and present members of the armed forces, assisting with mental health and our love of dogs. Said best in their own words – “An award winning organisation, Veterans With Dogs was the first in the UK to train and provide specialised assistance dogs for Veterans with mental health difficulties.

We believe in the incredible power of the human-canine connection. Our mission is to empower Veterans by providing them with highly trained assistance dogs, offering unwavering support and a renewed sense of purpose. Together, we’re transforming lives, one wet nose at a time.”

So on 2nd June 2023, we novice triathletes arrived at Blenheim Palace on a picture perfect day. And what a setting! The atmostphere was amazing, full of postivity and excitement. Being part of a big team, and within that, a relay team, triggered so much encouragement towards each other. Everyone successfully completed the swim, bike or run and we were full of smiles, a huge sense of achievement and with proudly displaying a medal around our neck.

Here’s what one of the team said about the experience:

The whole experience of the triathlon was brilliant. From the moment you arrived the atmosphere was electric. Everyone was full of energy. Being a part of a team was the best part for me. To be able to be a cheerleader for the other disciplines and still do you part was great. A day I will not forget! Nattasha, Case Manager

To top it all off, we managed to raise £3,062.00 for Veterans with Dogs! Our target was £1,500 so to double it was amazing. Thank you so very much to everyone who supported both us and this wonderful cause.

And would we recommend a triathlon? 100%. In fact we have signed up for another one in September and will be back to Blenheim in June 2024. And some of us are now taking on the swim, bike and run individually. Wish us luck!