First Things First..

2020, ‘the lockdown era’ - considered an ‘essential worker’ I watched on from behind a desk as things started to unravel. Working in a customer-facing capacity for a phone shop I saw first-hand the effects of the pandemic. So having just downloaded TikTok and uploaded a few videos regarding mental wellbeing, I decided to take things further. Thus the ‘Earthdrop Mental Health Lives’ began, a basic concept - just me, walking around the little town I’m from, behind the camera showing folks the sights and encouraging them to chat about their problems with myself and others.

It was a chance to use my experience being passed through the mental health system, for good - regurgitating information given by professionals, to help people cope with the anxiety and mood-dips brought on by hardship (in this case a world-changing pandemic). For a good year this continued, the lives helping folk escape, and my inbox a place for people to reach out to someone who’d listen and understand. 30,000 followers or so later and people were beginning to ask what helped me cope, a new dad, recently unemployed and struggling but still powering on.

So I explained, that between the lives I’d started doing something to give myself a little purpose - after a walk with my partner and daughter, I’d discovered (and started tidying) a nearby waterfall. The place long used as a dump by passers-by and locals, I explained how I chose to spend my free time up to my waist in this polluted stream, digging and hauling rubbish. Sure it was a boring topic though I didn’t advertise the work, it wasn’t really ever meant for others, it was to make it a little nicer for wildlife, and for my little girl should we return.

Fast forward a few weeks and regulars on the lives had convinced me to share my efforts, that it wasn’t boring, but was something people should see. So I did.. and in a short space of time millions of people had seen it, the first few videos going immediately viral and folks all around the world witnessing my one-man effort to bring life back to a beautiful, natural space. The comments were flooded by supporters, seemingly inspired by my efforts to take up projects of their own - people the world over sending me videos of the work they’d started, the spaces they were trying to save and the difference it had made in their lives - it was amazing!

Now - what began as a way for me to cope, has become so much more - the humble little message of ‘giving back to get better’ has reached more than a hundred million people, and a wonderful, compassionate community has appeared. Together we are doing great things for ourselves, the outdoors, wildlife and future generations and our mission to ‘heal the world’ seems more achievable than ever!

I am, and will forever be tremendously grateful to those who convinced me to take those first steps, and to everyone who has joined our adventure since - together we’re showing the world that if you look after our home, our home will look after us, and that even those who sometimes can’t get out of bed in the mornings, can still change the world for the better.

Thank you for reading, and indeed for everything, you wonderful, compassionate, incredible souls!

Kindest possible regards,

Josh ‘Earthdrop’ Donaldson