Witham Higher House Project to raise money for Combat Stress

Paul Scott, 42, of Witham, is the co-founder of the Higher House Project, and is embarking on a ten-mile walk in aid of Combat Stress on March 30.

The Higher House Project was founded  by Paul and Lauren Sayer, 18, and celebrates house music by putting on events in Witham and beyond, while helping showcase DJs.

Paul will walk from Tiptree Heath to Witham on March 30 along with 20 other trekkers while carrying a 15kg weight for the Combat Stress March in March challenge.

Team - Paul Scott and Lauren Sayer at a Higher House Project event (Image: Lauren Sayer)

The charity provides life-changing mental health treatment for veterans and helps former servicemen and women with issues such as PTSD, anxiety and depression.

Paul is a former soldier, who served in the Royal Corps of Signals, so the challenge means a lot to him.

He said:  “I’m ex-army - I left in 2008. I’ve never struggled, but people around me have.

“I decided I’ll do it myself as a challenge. Currently we have 21 of us doing it, army friends, and my missus is doing it as well.

“When I set out to do this, I only wanted to raise £150. When the team came in, we set the target to £1,000 and it kept going up."

The appeal has now topped the £4,000 mark.

Paul said: “It’s going to be a good day. We just want to raise as much money as possible.

Paul and Lauren are family friends with a passion for house music, so they decided to set up the Higher House Project last April.

Lauren will be supporting Paul and the other walkers by cheering them on from the side-lines and collecting donations on the day.

The music lover is excited about the charity event and explained what the High House Project does in Witham.

Informative - The Higher House Project March In March poster (Image: Higher House Project)

Successful - Paul Scott and Lauren Sayer at The Little Elms Pub in Witham for a Higher House Project event (Image: Lauren Sayer)

“We’ll have buckets at the event and all donations go straight to Combat Stress.

“The Higher House Project is all about bringing the younger generation with the older generation to enjoy house music.

“Our age demographic ranges from 18 to 60 plus.

“We’re passionate for house music DJs to have an opportunity to do what they enjoy."

A Higher House Project event will be held after the challenge at The Railway Pub, in Chipping Hill, to raise more money for Combat Stress.

To donate to the walk, go to tinyurl.com/54ee93hx.