A TRIO of friends from Thurrock are planning a second event next month to raise funds and the profile of a mental health charity.

Last year, Harrison Ball, 24, from Grays, Stanford-le-Hope's Ryan Wilkins and Kye Holloway from Corringham (both aged 25) came together to raise £9,483 for MIND through a DJing and fitness event when Ryan and Kye completed a 24-hour physical exercise challenge and Harrison completed a 24 hour DJ set.

Harrison says: "Our goal was simple: to raise awareness and money for MIND to support the fantastic work that they do across the country because mental health is important not just to us as young men, but to everyone.

"This year, we wanted to do something even bigger and so on Saturday, 3 July we will be taking part in Mind Over Matter Part 2!

The event will take place and be broadcast live from the Proven Gym at Sutton Hall Farm, Langdon Hills.

Harrison, whose own battles with mental health issues were the catalyst for the inaugural event last year, added: "With the struggles we have all faced over the past year, it is more important than ever that we continue to take care of our mental health as much as our physical health; and that there is the appropriate awareness, support and education to enable this.

"We are aiming to beat last year's total raised and need your support once again!"

You can make a donation to the event and find out more about it via

"Itwasabuild-upoveraperiodoffouryearsandthen,withinsixmonths,ithaddrasticallyspiralledoutofcontrol.Ididn'tturntoanydrugs,butIwasdrinkingatmysetsandpushingpeopleaway.

"ItwaslikeIhadtohaveitmywayornoway.IwasturningintoapersonthatInevertrulywantedtobe".

Afteranhonestconversationwithhismum,HarrisonfinallydecidedtogethelpThat'swhereMINDcamein.

"Itwasn'tuntilIdidsomethingtofindhelpthatIfoundthereweremanymorepeoplewithintheindustrywhodoneedhelp,@hesaid.

"I'veneverlookedbacksince.IthinkI'vehadabout30counsellingsessions,soitwasn'tanovernightthing-anditstillisn't.

"Therearestilldailystruggles.It'ssomethingyoulearntolivewithanddon'tletcontrolyourlife.Noteverydayisclearandnoteverydayisgood,butthat'sokay."

Ryan,apersonaltrainerandschoolboyfriendofHarrison,hasalsobattledhisowndemons.

Afterfacingsomefamilyissues,Ryan'smentalhealthdeclinedandin2016,hecheckedhimselfintoThePriory-amentalhealthhospitalinChelmsford.

"Iwentthereoutofchoice,"saidRyan."IacceptedthatIwasinaterribleplace.Whenyougoin,theytakeyourphoneoffyou,yourchargers,anythingthatyoucouldharmyourselfon.

"Itwasveryfullon.Fromdayone,theycheckonyoueveryhour,buttheydoreallycareforyouthere.

"Peoplegetembarrassedabouttalkingaboutmentalhealthbutthereisnoneedto.

"Ifyouhaveanyphysicalillness,yougotothedoctor.Whenitcomestomentalhealth,youtrytoshutitoutuntilyou'reinthatroomandcan'tfindthatlight."

Eventually,RyanwasinapositionwherehecouldleaveThePrioryintheeveningsandreturnhome.

Thisenabledhimtoworkonhisownfitness,andeventuallybecomeapersonaltrainer-whichhehasnowbeenforthepastthreeyears,workinginthesameprofessionasKye–withwhomhehasbeenfriendssincetheywereseven.TheygottoknowHarrisonasyoungteenagersthroughplayingrugby.

"Ibelievethateveryonegoesthroughsomesortofmentalbattlessomewhereintheirlives,"addedKye."Somearemoreseverethanothersthough.Ithinkitisgoodtoraiseawarenessaroundit-nomatterhowinsignificantitseems.

"Wehavehelpedeachotherbattlethroughdifferentaspectsofourlivesregardingmentalhealth,sowethought'whynotgrouptogether?

YouwillbeabletoseeRyanandKyetakingonthechallengesover24hoursonfitnessapparatusatthegym,whileHarrisonkeepsthemgoingthroughhismusicchoices.

Theeventwillbebroadcastliveonsocialmedia:Youwillbeabletoaccessthestreamlinkvia[L]https://twitch.tv/mindovermatteruk">this link.