14-06-2025
Three Dads Walking set off on new fundraising challenge
Three fathers who lost their daughters to suicide have begun a fourth challenge to help save young lives.
On the eve of Father's Day, Andy Airey from Cumbria, Mike Palmer from North Wales and Tim Owen from Norfolk started a 130-mile trek around the Anglesey Coastal Path in North Wales.
Their walk will raise money for the national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, which says it might have to cut back on its HOPELINE247 service through the night, when children and young people are struggling through their darkest hours.
The dads are aiming to raised £30,000 by covering more than 130 miles in eight days.
Andy Airey, 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, will also use 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 raised more than £1.4 million for PAPYRUS since completing 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 Owen, who lost his 19-year-old daughter Emily to suicide in 2020, says this challenge is all about redoubling their fundraising efforts for PAPYRUS and raising awareness of mental health and suicide.
'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,'
Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS, says funding is urgently needed to maintain HOPELINE247 round-the-clock.
'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.
