A group of locals have started the year off with their running shoes as they exchange miles for smiles in a fundraiser which has already seen over £10k donated to a local cause.

Iver Youth Community Services organised a fundraiser on behalf of charity organisation Miles for Smiles.

Miles for Smiles is dedicated to making mental health support easier to access for children aged six to 18 who need private mental health therapy by subsidising the cost for parents seeking treatment for their children.

Typically such treatment costs hundreds of pounds, so the local community group is pleased to see the £10,865.62 raised going toward helping local parents who could not originally access mental health support.

Fundraising walks have taken place from the Black Horse Pub in Iver Heath and from Sandgate Football Club in Hayes and back.

Walks included six different football stadiums which were: Watford FC, Wembley Stadium, Fulham FC, Queens Park Rangers FC, Brentford FC, and the longest one which was a 33 mile walk to Wycome Wanderers FC.

One Walker completed all six, another completed five with a number of others doing one or two of the six walks. The fundraiser ended with a fun day at Uxbridge Football Club.

Mr McKenzie who came up with the idea to do the charity walks said: “With so many adults suffering with their mental health and more and more children also suffering it’s important we intervene. 

"The realistic target was £5k. The unrealistic target was £10k. With the help of everyone involved we’ve smashed that target.

"The therapists don’t work for free but what they do is work on a massively reduced rate compared to private mental health therapists and all consultations are free.

"Our aim now is to build on this and then double what we’ve achieved in 2022, working with the Iver Youth Community Services to make a massive difference to children in the Berks Bucks and West London Area. 

"With so many children suffering with their mental health and also parents needing support also this can now be done.”

The next walks are set to take place on April 8 and more information can be found on the dedicated Miles for Smiles Facebook page.

If your child is suffering fill out the following form here or contact the Iver youth community services to receive support.