A TRIO of entrepreneurs have boosted their fundraising total for a mental health charity to more than £80,000.

Bournemouth nightclub owners Ty Temel of Halo and Benjamin Reynolds of Lost Paradise and fitness coach and Poole Town captain Jamie Whisken delivered £38,000 for Dorset Mind through their 'Step Up Challenge'.

This follows on from 'The June 500', which was also in aid of the charity and raised in excess of £42,000.

The 'Step Up Challenge' coincided with the second national lockdown and tasked its almost 200 participants to complete one million steps in 50 days.

Mr Temel said: "2020 was overwhelming for many reasons, but The June 500 and the Step Up Challenge are two major positives that will stick firmly in my memory. These fundraising challenges were created by myself and two close friends during a time of real adversity.

"The Step Up Challenge was targeted at raising awareness and money for Dorset Mind, a local mental health charity that had a gap in funding because of the pandemic. A timely blow, because this is when their services were needed most.

"We created a community when people felt most isolated, a reason to get outdoors and moving and to keep physically and mentality fit. It opened up a new lifestyle balance to me, that I will learn from, let alone others."

Mr Reynolds added: "Like The June 500, the aim was to help create a focus, get us moving – a lot – and build a community spirit at a time of so much separation and uncertainty.

"I am extremely proud of everyone who participated! It was physically much harder than we anticipated."

Mr Whisken said: “I’m so excited that after the success of The June 500 that we are able to bring another successful challenge to the table.

"Once again this kept many people mentally focused and physically challenged through a couple of even tougher months, during a time of year when many struggle. So many embraced it and it was a pleasure to be a part of."

Dorset Mind's chief executive Marianne Storey said The June 500 fundraising effort kept the charity afloat during the first six months of the pandemic.

The money raised in the second challenge is being reserved to help create and deliver support specifically targeted at men.

“The timing of this second fundraiser couldn’t have been more appropriate," she said.

"We’ve seen nine incredibly tough months that have had a devastating impact on people’s mental health.

"The announcement of a further lockdown will certainly see further deterioration of mental wellbeing for those already suffering or recently diagnosed – and for many others who haven’t previously experienced mental health concerns are likely to find this further lockdown during the winter months much harder than the previous two."

For more information about the support Dorset Mind offers, or to contribute or volunteer, visit dorsetmind.uk.