In 2021 I signed up for Runs For Change. We are fortunate enough to be in a position where we can help a little bit and I certainly know I wouldn't have got this far in cricket if it wasn't for people supporting me along the way so I see it as a way of giving back and showing gratitude.
The Lord's Taverners got in contact with me, a Just Giving page was set up so people could go on and every time I scored a run they could donate a certain figure throughout the season. I was lucky enough to get a lot of support and it went to the kids who really needed it.
The Lord's Taverners have different projects, at one stage I think it was to get more mini buses and transportation for kids and help those with less privileged backgrounds to be involved in the sport and have the same opportunity to enjoy it. All the money goes towards creating more opportunities and giving people more access to cricket.
I know how much joy cricket has brought to my life and I want it to be accessible and impact as many people's lives in the same way it's impacted my life for the best part of 25 years.
I did some stuff in 2019 with three charities I wanted to help - MIND, the PCA Cricketers’ Trust and CRY, Cardiac Risk in the Young, which prevents sudden cardiac deaths through screening, awareness and research.
It's been well documented that I lost one of my friends Tommy Hardman at university and that's why those charities have always been close to me. He was a year younger than me, he was my university captain and we were very good friends.
It shapes you as a person when you go through those experiences. It makes you want to give back and try and avoid the same pain you've experienced by hopefully stopping other families going through that.
I know a lot of blokes around the circuit will have their own charities they have a personal connection with. It's something I wanted to do and something I will continue doing while I'm playing.
You always look at different ways you can give back. I'm very much a believer that humans in general will need each other's help along the way so while I'm in a position where I can help I will because you never know if you might need help yourself and I know I've been very lucky to have the PCA and other charities that have looked after me along the way.
It's not a secret that I've suffered mental health issues throughout my career and still do to this day. I have family and friends who've all suffered from mental health issues and they've not been as lucky as I have in terms of having the PCA to support them.
So if you can try and give back to these charities and help them become more accessible for people who don't have the luxury of support from the PCA, it's something I want to do.
Not everyone speaks about their mental health and not everyone has the understanding and access to help so if you can try in some way to make it accessible and help provide support then you're more likely to overcome the problems and flourish as a person.
All anyone wants is to feel you have the opportunity to grow and achieve your dreams, no matter how big or small. It's about having the support to go out there and do it and hopefully by giving to these charities it will help kids, teenagers, and adults have the opportunity to overcome some of the battles they're going through.
I once did a 10k for Mind around Derby when I went fully kitted out in my batting gear. I had pads, bat, helmet and box on which I paid the price for later! Some of the lads came and did bits of it with me and the strength and conditioning coach at the time, Jonty Norris, came with me the whole way. We ran through Pride Park and the city centre, it was a good fun.
I also dyed my hair blue in 2019 for Blast quarter-finals day and I did a Top Gear style race with my sister. She was the one in the car, I had to get on public transport and we had to do different challenges on the way. It was about doing different things to raise awareness.
I do enjoy these things and hopefully it's something I can keep doing to help out in small aspects along the way. Going forward there are always going to be exciting opportunities that I'll try and get involved with.