TRUE STORIES
A cross the UK, it’s a grievous reality that suicide remains the biggest killer of under 35s. Three men who are all too familiar with this harrowing statistic are Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen – bereaved fathers who tragically lost their young daughters to suicide. Hailing from Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Norfolk, these men have gone from being unknown strangers to champions of awareness following a course that has captured the hearts of the nation. This began in 2021, when the trio, known as Three Dads Walking, decided to embark on a 300-mile epic trek across Britain from the scenic Lakeland Fells and on to the stark plains of the eastern Fens to raise money for Papyrus – the national charity for the prevention of young suicide. “Walking and talking is what we do, and smashing the stigma around mental health and suicide is our goal,” says Mike, who lost his 17-year-old daughter Beth to suicide in 2020. “With every step we remember our girls, and this gives us the courage to make a difference.” Walking for change The following year, in 2022, Three Dads Walking set their sights on doubling their original distance, covering 600 miles between the parliaments of all four nations – from Northern Ireland, through Scotland, Wales and England. During this walk, they got over 100,000 signatures for a petition to include suicide prevention on the national curriculum. This resulted in a House of Commons debate and a Pride of Britain Award for all three of them soon after.
ONE STEP AT A TIME From strangers bound together by grief and the need for action, to walking companions who have covered hundreds of miles, we speak with the three dads changing the narrative around suicide prevention Words PHOEBE HARPER
SOLACE IN SOLIDARITY The incredible work of these dads has brought real change
66 JUNE 2024 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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