Cheers Mick!

A gift from Mick for the Eating Disorder Service

Speedo Mick, charity walker and Everton fan has pledged £5725 to Alder Hey Children’s Charity to help children being treated at the hospital with eating disorders. Speedo Mick, whose real name is Michael Cullen and who has raised over £20,000 for Alder Hey Charity in the past by walking to France, is setting up The SpeedoMick Foundation to help community projects for disadvantaged people, with a focus on mental health and positivity.

Alder Hey’s Eating Disorder Service is relatively new, but is already a service in high demand. It provides treatment to children and young people with Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and other eating disorders and offers a range of therapeutic support such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), dietetic input and meal planning, physical reviews, family therapy, family based treatment and home visits.

During COVID-19 it is challenging for the team to care for and monitor the condition of their patients whilst ensuring no unnecessary risk by asking children to come to the hospital for general appointments. With this funding the charity can provide 25 patients with a package of home monitoring equipment including scales, blood pressure monitors and thermometers all of which communicate readings to clinicians at Alder Hey through an app on a tablet.

Fiona Ashcroft, Chief Executive of Alder Hey Children’s Charity said “We’re so grateful to Speedo Mick for this donation. Mick is an amazing supporter of Alder Hey, having previously walked from Everton’s stadium to Olympic Lyonnais and raising over £20,000 for the charity. Mental Health is a huge focus for us this year, so Speedo Mick’s donation will help us continue to provide outstanding specialist care to the patients being looked after by our Eating Disorders Team”.

Mick said “At this time in particular I don’t want any children with eating disorders to suffer more because of the effects of COVID-19. I’m delighted to support this great initiative and make sure that the kids receive vital treatment in this current crisis.  I am always very happy to support Alder Hey as it is really close to my heart.”