3 Dads Walking for suicide prevention

The Proper Mental Podcast

Welcome to episode 179 with Tim Owen, Mike Palmer and Andy Airey, who are collectively known as the 3 Dads Walking!

Tim, Mike & Andy are 3 dads, bereaved by suicide who have been walking in memory of their daughters, Emily, Beth & Sophie.

In 2021 they walked 300 miles between their 3 homes, to highlight the fact that suicide is the biggest killer of young people across the entire UK.

In 2022 they set off again, this time walking 600 miles, between the parliaments of the 4 nations, petitioning the Government to make suicide prevention a compulsory part of the school curriculum. They collected over 100,000 signatures for this petition, which prompted a debate in the House of Commons and led to them sitting down with the Prime Minster.

Along the way they have raised more than 1 million pounds for PAPYRUS, a UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

This year, they will be undertaking the Walk of Hope, covering 500 miles and visiting newly opened offices of PAPYRUS all over the U.K, many of which have been setup thanks to the dads’ fundraising efforts.

They also have a book out any minute now, it’s called Three Dads Walking: 300 Miles of Hope and it’s been written up from diary entries that the dads have been writing throughout their adventures.

What The 3 Dads have achieved over the last few years is nothing short of incredible and this episode is both heart breaking and heart walking and everything in between.

It was an honour to chat to Tim, Mike and Andy. They speak so openly and warmly and I found our chat incredibly moving but a lot of fun too!

Follow them on social media @3dadswalking and keep update with this year’s campaign via their website www.3dadswalking.uk

Learn more about the incredible work of PAPYRUS here www.papyrus-uk.org

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

Another great way to support the show and spread the word is to rate, review and subscribe on whatever platform you get your podcasts from.

If you or anyone you know needs to find support in your local area, please go to www.hubofhope.co.uk

Thanks for listening!