Passage of Men – Andy Caine raising funds and awareness for Men’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

On Wednesday 5th October 2022, Andy Caine will set off from John O’Groats to walk 900 miles south to Land’s End to raise awareness of men’s mental health and suicide in the UK.

Over 10 weeks (weather-dependent), just a man and his back-pack, Andy’s mission is to initiate and take part in as many men’s groups as possible at each of his stops – to offer a friendly and welcoming space and opportunity for men to talk and share their life challenges and also invite them to join him on this walk of life if they wish to do so.

Men often feel like they have no-one to turn to and don’t talk or share how they are feeling and Andy was in this exact position three years ago when he faced challenging situations that had a detrimental effect on his mental health.

Andy said: “Three years ago I was faced with the realisation that I was in an unhappy marriage, a job that was pushing me towards burnout and a distinct dissatisfaction with who I was. I had little energy for my children and happiness tethered to material possessions, titles and a purposeless direction in life.

“I was displaying clear signs of stress through behaviours of anger, addiction to exercise, loss of appetite, poor sleeping patterns and the lack of ability to focus. I found it difficult to accept that I was struggling and face the shame of a failed marriage. Even admitting I was stressed felt vulnerable and weak.

“I became a recluse even to my own parents in their house. I retracted from all of my friendships and felt isolated in the shame and guilt. It felt like a downward spiral but not a big enough issue worthy enough to seek help. Some days I struggled to get out of bed and when I did I was confronted with a heavy sadness deep inside me. I couldn’t shift it and it felt like a viscous circle. It was only when I started to share my feelings with a close friend that I could see the light.”

Join Andy on this ‘walk of life’ journey

Andy invites people to join him for as much/little as they can on this journey. You can walk with him and/or put him up for the night with free accommodation, donate through JustGiving, get him a cup of coffee (or an umbrella!) and ensure the funds he raises can support as many men’s health charities as possible.

Follow Andy’s journey and/or get in touch with him through Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

walkwithme #walkoflife #losthourswalk

The planned route