Mental Health Fundraiser

A FORMER detective has walked 16 miles a day around Leigh, for a total of for 16 days, to raise money for South East and Central Essex Mind.
Darren Ryan, who wrote his memoir Lifeline after developing PTSD in the police, used the walk to highlight the message that 16 people die from suicide every day, and that too many people still suffer in silence.
Whilst the walk – which took a loop around Eastwood, Leigh and Southend –was a tough physical and mental challenge, it offered an ideal opportunity for Darren to reach out to the community.
“I learned that community matters. Checking in, listening and simply being there for someone can genuinely change, and even save, lives.
“Every step carried someone’s story,” he says.
The walk was also a reminder for Darren of the challenges he’s faced in the past: “By stripping life back to the basics – walking, eating and recovering – life suddenly felt simpler and more manageable. I felt free from the daily stress and pressures that I often struggle to navigate.
“Every new day reminded me how beautiful life can be when people stand together. And I felt grateful throughout; grateful to have survived mental health crises, PTSD and addiction.”
The key highlight of the experience was meeting people along the way: “Strangers came together through this shared mission to raise awareness, start conversations and remind people they are not alone.
“The walk inspired them to speak openly, and it’s those quiet moments of connection that can help to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
“Imagine the world we’d live in if we all helped just one person?”
Concluding the walk and experiencing both the pain and elation of its process, Darren was mindful of the lengths that still need to be reached in mental health.
“During those 16 days, 256 people lost their lives to suicide. Too many people are still struggling in silence, and too many families are losing loved ones.”
He added: “The walk may be over, but the reason behind it is not. Donations are still coming in, but I’d love to raise as much as possible, so please donate if you can.”
To donate to the fundraiser at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/darren-ryan-2?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL
Picture: Darren Ryan competed the challenge
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