Three fathers who wanted to achieve something positive following the deaths of their young daughters have completed a fourth charity trek.
Andy Airey from Cumbria, Mike Palmer from North Wales and Tim Owen from Norfolk spent eight days walking 130 miles around the Anglesey Coastal Path in North Wales to raise money for the North West-based charity Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide.
The 3 Dads Walking were responding to the charity’s warning that it might have to cut back on its HOPELINE247 service which operates through the night, when children and young people are struggling through their darkest hours.
The dads say they are confident they have reached their latest target of £30,000, having already raised around £1.5million for Papyrus.
Ged Flynn, the charity’s chief executive, said funding was urgently needed to maintain HOPELINE247 round-the-clock.
“We’d like to say a huge thank you to Andy, Mike and Tim who didn’t hesitate when they realised Papyrus was struggling financially.
“Like many charities, we have seen a significant decline in donations since the cost-of-living crisis started to impact on the voluntary income we receive. At the same time, we have seen an increase in demand for our professional services.
“Since our HOPELINE247 service went round-the-clock in the summer of 2023, we have seen an 86% increase in the number of contacts we received via text and emails. Last year there was a 66% increase in those reaching out via our webchat service.
“We are doing everything we can to protect our services, but we need help to be able to do so,” he said.
Andy, who lost his 29-year-old daughter Sophie to suicide in 2018, said: “Papyrus is an amazing charity which offers vital support.
“HOPELINE247 is now under threat and, as dads who have suffered the indescribable loss of a child to suicide, we are determined to do what we can to maintain this life-saving service round-the-clock.”
The 3 Dads Walking, who each live in rural parts of the UK, also used their Anglesey trek to highlight how people living in remote areas can feel isolated, physically and emotionally.
Mike Palmer, whose 17-year-old daughter Beth died by suicide in 2020, said: “In rural areas mental health services and suicide prevention support is in limited supply. That means in communities like these HOPELINE247 may be the only thing that can help to keep young people safe from suicide, particularly in the darkest hours in the middle of the night when other services are not available to them.”
The 3 Dads Walking have become national heroes for promoting greater awareness of suicide prevention across the UK.
They completed their first challenge in 2021 by walking 300 miles.
A year later they trekked 600 miles, walking between the parliaments of all four nations from Northern Ireland through Scotland, Wales and England.
Last year they walked a further 500 miles from Scotland down through the eastern counties of England.
A few months later they were honoured with MBEs in the King’s Birthday Honours List.
Throughout they have been campaigning to see suicide prevention included in the school curriculum. They say children and young people need to be taught life-skills to help keep them safe from suicide.
Tim, who lost his 19-year-old daughter Emily to suicide in 2020, says their latest challenge was all about redoubling their fundraising efforts for PAPYRUS and protecting HOPELINE247.
“Our fourth walk was borne from the belief that children and young people should not be alone with thoughts of suicide. We know more precious young lives can and must be saved.
“Progress is being made but the fact is we hear of more tragic stories nearly every week.
“Smashing the stigma around mental health and suicide is our goal. With every step we’ll remember our girls and this gives us the courage to keep going and make a difference,” said Tim.
Papyrus has launched the first emergency appeal in its 28-year-history, with a fundraising target of £440,000 which would enable it to continue operating HOPELINE247 normally.
Ged added: “We are so grateful to the 3 Dads Walking for their incredible and continuing support. Adding a fourth challenge to what they had already achieved shows the remarkable energy and passion they share for saving young lives.”
To donate to the Papyrus emergency appeal go to justgiving.com/campaign/papyrusemergencyappeal
