Image source, Ruth Trinder
A woman says that after reaching a “breaking point” in her life, an outdoor course organised by a charity changed her life.
Ruth Trinder, 37, from Hereford, said she turned to the group in Shropshire after experiencing grief, the breakdown of her marriage and going through surgical menopause.
She attended a five-day course with Climbing Out, founded by Kelda Wood, a former paracanoeist from Shrewsbury.
“I’m very different than I was a year ago. I’m very, very happy, I’m in a very good place,” Trinder said.
- Author, Chloe Hughes
- Role, BBC News, West Midlands
Climbing Out said its goal was to help people who have experienced life-changing trauma or mental or physical illness by combining outdoor activities with personal development training.
Ms Trinder decided to take action regarding her mental health in 2023.
“It was horrible. I didn’t feel like I could take much more after that,” he told BBC Hereford and Worcester.
She contacted the charity herself and attended one of their courses in the Lake District.
The first night, their group went to explore a cave and were told to turn off their flashlights and work together to get out.
“It’s about trying to ground yourself in the moment and not worry so much about what’s ahead of you,” Trinder said.
Other activities organised by the charity included kayaking, abseiling and cold water swimming.
Ms Trinder said the course changed her outlook on life.
“There’s always that worry of ‘I don’t want to have any more people in my life because I’m going to keep losing them,’ but it’s actually surprising who you find,” she said.
“The group I did it with talks practically every day.”
Ms Trinder said she was now raising money to help other people attend the courses.
She said the outdoors played a big role in her recovery.
“I’ve been in that dark place myself,” she said.
“We really strip it down to the basics. We’re very straightforward, very practical, very realistic, and a lot of times that’s what people need to hear.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, you can visit BBC Line of action.
