Features / mental health
A 150-mile walk
In November, Paul Lloyd attempted to take his own life.
“I had had times where I was taken into a crisis centre – you know, sort of close calls,” he recalls. “But I actually went the whole hog last November and I ended my life. I died four times.”
Yet, in August Paul will walk 155 miles, from DRG Frenchay football club to the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium, the new football stadium for Everton FC.
is needed now More than ever
The 49 year-old, who is also the chairman of DRG Frenchay, will be walking in the hope of raising thousands of pounds to support mental health support efforts within the community as part of a campaign he’s dubbed ‘Miles Better’.
Over the last decade, Paul has been battling mental health issues, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
While recovering at home after his attempt to end his life, Paul recalls being “fed up with being fed up”.
He explained: “I thought, ‘I just want to do something about it now. I’m fed up with thinking about it. I’m fed up with sitting here’. So, I came up with the idea of this walk.”
Paul decided to root the challenge in his love for football and the club Everton.
He will walk from one of DRG’s games on August 5 to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium, which will host the Everton/Roma legends friendly match on August 9.
Paul is raising money for both Samaritans and his football club.
He regrets not using Samaritans’ services when struggling with his mental health and wants to give to them “so they can continue doing the good work they do”.
The DRG is self-funded, and half of the money fundraised will go towards re-laying the football pitch.
Paul’s route will take him up the Wales border.
From Gloucester, he will pass Wolverhampton, Stoke, Chester and then take a ferry across the River Mersey.
He will then walk across to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, located in Bramley-Moore.
Paul didn’t only choose walking because of its positive impact on his mental health, but to inspire others.
He recalls: “Walking is the hardest thing to do when you’re in a place where you don’t want to do anything.
“I need people to understand how nice it is to go out for a walk and get some fresh air and say hello to people. It does you the world of good.”
Paul hopes that when he gets back from the four-day walk, Miles Better will continue, potentially in the form of a mental health group that meets up to walk and talk.
He also hopes to break the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly for men.
He adds: “The sooner you can get diagnosed, the sooner you can start sorting the problem until you know what it is.”
Paul’s bipolar diagnosis allowed him to get help, in the form of medication and treatments.
But, Paul stressed that it’s not only the stigma that’s the issue, but a lack of services.
He recalls leaving hospital a few years ago, leaving the system and afterwards attempting suicide.
He continued: “I’m a guy who committed suicide. I died, and I’m still not back in the system.
“Mental health is still a Fight Club scenario. We’re underground. It’s dealt with quietly in the corners, in the shadows, and it shouldn’t be anything like that.”
Paul wants people struggling with their mental health to have a voice, and encourages anyone struggling to talk to a professional, such as a doctor or therapist.
So far, Paul has raised over £700.
He set his target as £5000, as wanted to “aim for the stars”, but hopes to raise at least £3000 so he can donate £1500 to Samaritans and £1500 to DRG Frenchay.
He encourages anyone who can to donate.
Paul has set up a video blog on YouTube to document his training and has also set up a tracking system, so viewers can keep up with his movements when he starts walking to Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Paul laughed: “If (you can see me going at) 60 miles an hour, it’s probably because I’m in an ambulance.”
Two weeks out from the 155 mile walk, Paul is regularly walking 10 to 20 miles a day.
On one walk recently, Paul recalls hearing a voice calling his name, coming from a neighbour who saw him minutes before his suicide attempt in November.
The neighbour saw Paul walking and ran up the road to check if he was alright.
Paul reflects: “We just had the biggest hug. It’s the nicest thing in the world – he asked if I’m okay. That’s the whole thing, you’ve got to ask if people are okay. It’s not an offensive question. It’s not a problem if they are. It’s not a problem if they’re not.
“That interaction wouldn’t have happened if I wasn’t doing this. This wonderful person pulled over and wanted to make sure I was okay. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?”
To donate to Paul’s fundraiser, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/paul-lloyd
Main photo: Paul Lloyd
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