Why We’re Walking

This challenge begins with loss.

In 2021, we lost our youngest daughter, Darcy, to suicide. She was just 17 years old. It’s impossible to describe what that does to you as parents and as a family; the heartbreak, the questions, the relentless, deafening silence that follows. Life changes forever.

But even in our darkness, we’ve learned that there is a way forward, one small step at a time.

The last holiday Darcy took with her dad, Michael, was a special, memorable trip to Marrakech for her 16th birthday, a place full of colour, laughter and life.

The experience of the hustle and bustle of an energetic city, the culture and a fantastic private hot-air balloon ride over the Atlas Mountains, whilst being served a breakfast fit for a princess in the sky, was unforgettable.

It’s been a tough decision to return to Morocco, but we felt we had to for a special reason: to walk 100 kilometres across the Sahara Desert, in memory of our beautiful daughter Darcy and to raise funds for PAPYRUS, the charity dedicated to preventing young suicide and supporting young people in crisis.

Passing through Morocco’s harsh landscape of peaks, gorges, dunes and oases, this journey, much like managing mental health, is tough, relentless and transformative.

This cause is deeply personal to us, especially to Michael.

As a young man in his early twenties, Michael lost hope. He felt empty and directionless, fell into despair and attempted to take his own life. He was fortunate; he was saved.

Navigating his own mental health struggles, he built a life filled with purpose and love: we married, raised three wonderful children and built two successful businesses together. For many years, Michael carried quiet gratitude for the second chance he’d been given.

But when we lost Darcy, that gratitude shattered. Losing her brought back every memory of what it feels like to believe there’s no way out, and at the same time, every reason why we must do everything possible to help others see that there is.

That’s why this walk matters so deeply.

For every young person standing where Michael once stood, at the edge of their own wilderness, we want to make sure someone is there to reach out a hand and walk beside them.

Why the Sahara Desert?

The desert tells a story.

It is vast, silent and unforgiving. Every step takes effort. Every dune feels endless. And for many young people, mental health can feel the same – a lonely, punishing landscape, with no visible way out.

The Sahara is a powerful symbol of that struggle.

The heat represents pressure.

The endless sand represents uncertainty.

The slow, heavy progress mirrors what it feels like to fight through despair, exhausting and lonely, but possible.

Each step across the desert reflects the enormous courage it takes to keep going when everything feels impossible.

Whether it’s sand or sadness, progress can be painfully slow, but it’s still progress.

More Than a Walk - What the Desert Teaches Us

This isn’t just a physical challenge. It’s a powerful message.

It’s a journey that carries meaning far beyond the miles. The desert teaches patience, courage and faith that even in the harshest places, we can still move forward, one step at a time.

The 100 kilometres represent the daily battles faced by thousands of young people who feel lost, unseen, or hopeless.

The sand underfoot symbolises the instability of those struggles; progress that slips away and must be fought for again and again.

And the journey itself is a promise: that with compassion, understanding and support, even the harshest terrain can be crossed.

We’re walking for Darcy, for those young lives lost to suicide and for every young person who needs to know that they are not alone.

Stopping isn’t the only option.

There is always a way forward.

Join Us. Support Hope. Support PAPYRUS.

Are you up for the challenge and able to join us on this 5-day trek in November 2026? There are limited places to make up TEAM DARCY on this life-changing and life-saving challenge.

We hope to raise far more than the minimum sponsorship required to take part.

We've set an ambitious fundraising target, a number that keeps whispering (well, shouting) at us…

£100,000 for 100 kilometres.

Could we dare to dream that big? With your support, we just might.

Please get in touch to register your interest in walking with us.

For those unable to take on this challenge with us, you can support TEAM DARCY by sharing this campaign with friends, family, colleagues and on your social media. We’d be delighted to receive your donations, no matter how small.

Every contribution helps PAPYRUS reach more young people in crisis and remind them that they do not have to walk this alone.

This journey is a tribute to Darcy and a message to the world that even in the harshest desert, a way forward can still be found.

Thank you for reading, supporting us, donating, and walking beside us, even if only in spirit.

Michael & Debbie Hollinson