A TEENAGER will scale Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness of mental health.

Lauryn Taylor is raising money for the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

The charity supports women with their mental health during pregnancy and in the year after giving birth.

Lauryn, 17, of Magdalen Street, Colchester, is preparing to climb the highest mountain in Africa, which is about about 4,900 metres from its base, to support the cause.

Retail assistant Lauryn said: “I feel like this is a really important matter and is something more people need to be educated in as it affects so many people in such bad ways.

“I think the worst thing with mental health is it isn’t a physical condition that can be spotted easily and it can be hard to know what’s going through someone’s head.”

In order to prepare for the challenge, which she will complete early next year, she is beginning training as soon as possible.

She said: “I’ve done a lot of research into the climb itself and the difficulty of the routes and made myself familiar with the challenge ahead.

“I will also be saving up money from my part-time job to buy the equipment required such as good hiking boots and waterproofs.

“I have already set up fundraising pages so I can try to raise as much as possible as it costs around £2,000 to get there and do the climb.”

She may also have the support of her sisters, Sam and Shannon, who hope to join her on the challenge.

She has set up two fundraising pages - one to fund the climb and one for the charity itself.

Any money left over from the climb page will also go to the charity.

To support Lauryn, visit gofundme.com/kilimanjaro-climb-for-the-mmha or gofundme.com/climbing-mount-kilimanjaro-for-mmha.