In March of this year, our dear friends lost their son Ryan to suicide after a short term battle with mental health. He was a remarkable young man and the devastating shock of his death has been profound on his friends and family, who all miss him immeasurably. Suicide is the biggest killer of men in Scotland under the age of 50 and 74% of suicides are committed by men who feel hopeless and helpless. We must try to change this and break down all the barriers and taboos surrounding mental health, because despite its current focus, the help is still not reaching the people who are really suffering.

Ryan’s family have decided to set up a Trust in his name and will donate to various charities creating awareness and helping those in need. To kick things off, my husband Alan is embarking on a walk in memory of Ryan on June 25th 2021. Setting off in the wee small hours, he’s walking all 64 miles of the Cateran Trail in Perthshire in one go! He’s aiming to do it within 24 hours but that’s a lot of ground to cover over some pretty rough terrain, so I’m sure we can forgive him if it takes a few hours longer! It’s a tough challenge but he’s determined to do it in the spirit in which Ryan lived his life, dedicated to the adventure and giving it everything he’s got.

The group chosen to benefit from this walk is Mindthemen, a Glasgow based suicide prevention peer support group. Raising awareness is just as important as money, but any funds raised will make a huge difference to Mind the Men, so if you can, please donate to our Just Giving page.

I’ll keep you updated on Alan's training progress on here and Facebook and then on the big day itself too! Thanks so very much.

Andrea and Alan