About Us
Summits Up wasn’t created as a charity idea on paper.
It was born from real life, from pressure, stress, silent struggles, and the reality that many people feel lost even when they appear “fine” on the outside.
The three founders of Summits Up all bring lived experience of mental health challenges. We’ve been the ones struggling to admit there was a problem, comparing ourselves to social-media highlight reels, feeling ashamed to talk, and needing community long before we knew where to find it.
We’ve also worked alongside mental health charities for years. We’ve seen the good they do — and we’ve seen where people still fall through the cracks. That is why Summits Up exists. Not for likes or publicity, but to genuinely help like-minded people through connection and community.
A Plan for 2026 — Brought Forward by the Community
The original plan was clear:
Build the community in 2025.
Begin funding therapy in 2026.
But the response to our Edale Skyline challenge and the Robin Hood Half Marathon changed everything. The support, donations, and belief in what we were doing gathered momentum faster than we ever expected.
Because of that belief, we were able to fast-track our mission by four months. By October 2025, Summits Up was already funding therapy sessions across the East Midlands through our trusted network of therapists.
Meet Our Founders
Simon Wilkinson
I started Summits Up because I’ve experienced first-hand how powerful counselling and community support can be for mental health. Being open, talking things through, and not doing life alone changed everything for me.
Pair that with my love of the outdoors and staying active, and joining forces with 2 other great people and Summits Up was born. My aim is to build a supportive community of like-minded people who can connect, talk honestly, and support one another no judgement, no pressure.
Areas of focus:
Addiction and alcohol related issues | Men’s mental health | Corporate engagements and education in the workplace
Emma Trolley
I started Summits Up after experiencing how overwhelming life can feel when everything changes at once. I was widowed at 37 with two young children and became their only living parent, navigating grief, emotional strain, and deep personal upheaval.
Those experiences taught me how essential compassion, close connections, and a trusted community are, especially when your own support circle disappears and help feels out of reach. Spending time outdoors, staying active, and keeping fit have been a vital part of my own healing, alongside working in mental health settings and supporting loved ones through their struggles.
My aim is to create spaces where people feel safe, understood, and never alone.
Areas of focus:
Grief and personal loss | Bereavement | Promoting women’s self-belief |Outdoor leadership
Gary Hyland
Too many people I know have attempted suicide or even thought about it. Having struggled with my own battles and seeing how other charities support those in need, I founded Summits Up.
Staying active, being outdoors and helping others has a massive postivie impact on my mental health. I want to give people the platform so they can benefit.
My personal aim is for anyone I know who is struggling, knows where to turn. They get the support they need in a timely manner and in future can support others who go through similar battles.
Areas of focus:
Men’s mental health | Relationship breakdowns | Challenges, raising funds and awareness
Real People. Real Impact.
Summits Up exists because it works. Behind every walk and challenge are real people who reached out at a critical moment and found support, connection, and hope. In some cases, that support has quite literally saved lives.
We protect anonymity, but the impact is undeniable. People who felt alone are still here today because they were heard, supported, and not left to face things on their own. That is the true purpose of Summits Up showing up when it matters most.