The final steps of the London to Qatar challenge for Shout 85258, with club Directors Godric Smith,Graham Daniels and finance Director of Mick George, Police spotters all supporting the walk along with Nia Thomas from Shout 85258 and several supporters took place on Saturday 19th November.

I believe the walk has been one of the most positive things I have ever undertaken and rewarding in the fact there has hardly been a day go by without somebody talking to me about their mental health.

I must also thank all the companies and members of the public who have supported and donated to the walk during the past twelve months. The 16k raised for SHOUT 85258 will help so many people in the coming months.

So this is the end of a very long journey 6,068,796 steps completed and we celebrate on the pitch before the Accrington Stanley fixture.

When I look back at the Football Safety Officers conference in Stratford where I was one of the guest speakers talking about mental health and the positivity it generated with members coming forward to talk about their mental health concerns it really has been a positive journey.

The final message

The final message is keep talking and if you feel that a member of your family may be struggling a member of staff, or a friend then ask “are you okay?” if they reply “yes” ask them again “are you sure you are okay?”
You may be surprised by the answer and just talking could be the help that person needs???
If you are struggling personally don’t suffer in silence, tell somebody as there is help available or text SHOUT 85258
 
Ian Darler B.E.M

I must start by say a special thanks to those who attended the public walk on Sunday especially when the weather was so awful. The walk was made up from members of the Cambridge staff and club supporters.

Trevor George the former Cambridge United police intelligence officer led walk whilst also delivering a history lesson on route.

Above The group ready to attack the 3.9 mile stroll along the river Cam

Below The group gathered for a photo at the half way point

I must also thank the Cambridge United media team for putting the interview with Thomas Kirk match referee on twitter as this again has generated so much positivity and conversation about mental health.

As we approach the last 19 days of the challenge, we have hit 5,800,276 steps up to 31st October leaving just 199,724 steps to hit the six million and completing the 3228-mile walk.

Thanks also to those who have again sponsored the walk and taken the total to £14.500

Finally, a reminder that Cambridge United have arranged for me to walk from the football monument on Parkers Piece to the Abbey stadium on Saturday 19th November, The walk will start at 2pm and we should arrive at the stadium by 2.45pm everybody is welcome to come along.

Thanks again, keep talking everybody.

Ian Darler B.E.M

This month has seen me re-visit some of the local villages to keep the step total ticking over.
We also paid a visit to Southwold and walked along the coast line on what was possibly the last hot weekend of the year.

The walk has continued to create discussion around mental health with more people coming forward to talk about their personal mental health which is very rewarding that people have the confidence to talk.

Steps covered in September 490,074 which now takes the total steps covered to 5,298,733
This month I was invited to attend the Cambridge United Community Trust awards evening at Madingley Hall and present the mental health award. Whilst on stage Graham Daniels asked about the Million step challenge that I undertook last year and asked why I did the challenge.  My light hearted reply was that it was the warm up for the London to Qatar walk? It gave me the opportunity to talk about parts of my mental health journey and how it has helped people speak about their mental health concerns. Again later that evening I was surprised to have people come forward firstly to say that my talk had been brave, to which I replied  “not brave just honest”.  I also had two other people at the event come forward and talk to me about their mental health journey.

I do believe people are changing their views about mental health and becoming more confident in talking about mental health although we all know there is a long way to go.

SHOUT 85258 continue to help so many people of all ages and I know every penny that the walk has raised goes towards helping people dealing with life’s challenges.

I have been reading The Daily Telegraph article about the Molly Russell inquest into her death and the work her father Ian Russell and family have done to help prevent other families having to go through this awful situation.

Yet again following my rant in my August diary about so much negativity in the news I find myself being drawn in to reading about the awful things that Molly had access to which should never be available in any form to any age. Let me assure you that when things get so tough in life and people think about taking their life the last thing they need is instruction on line on how to do it and negativity.

Having a daughter of 14 I totally get the pressure children are now under with so much being put on them in so many directions and with the pressures of social media and having to achieve such constant high standards at school the pressure to undertake all home work by a set time they do not get the opportunity to have proper family time or have time for leisure activities that I and my older son was fortunate to have years ago. Surely at some point the government and education authorities need to look at why so many young children are struggling with mental health and why so many teachers are leaving the profession.

Yes I understand children have to undertake homework but why not give children homework Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings which then allows them to have a chill period over the weekend for family time and their leisure activity. I have always worked long hours  myself but on my weekends off I like to chill and more importantly I like to spend good quality time with my family but know that cannot always happen due to the amount of home work issued from the school for the weekend.
IS IT ANY SURPRISE THAT CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING WITH STRESS?

I don’t normally do this but I have taken some of the statements from the Ian Russell Interview.
The paper’s heading

It’s not what the Government says that matters-it’s what it does.

Molly’s beautiful image appeared in news reports around the world, yet for Ian, his wife and Molly’s two sisters there was simply “relief” that their feelings about her cause of death had been formally recognised.

The newspaper asked Ian Russell what Molly would have made of her story reaching so far. His reply was Molly was one of the most caring people he ever met. I only knew her for 14 years but in that time it was apparent she loved helping people and she was also really thoughtful. She would watch a situation, she would analyse it and she would make her own mind up about it. Those two sides of her personality would combine to make her feel really proud that these topics are being talked about now.”

The paper stated that with Russell, it is no exaggeration to say, had managed to change the debate around child safety online through years of tireless campaigning that has won him admirers including the Prince of Wales. 

As a parent I am personally horrified that children are so unprotected when they are online at the current time and to read about the legal but harmful content that Molly saw that was most dangerous, Ian Russell said he thought that was what sapped her joy and her energy and positivity. Many of such posts were provided to the inquest into Molly’s death and were mainly made up of depressing quotes designed to heighten isolation and hopelessness.

I think the bravery that Molly’s family have shown is incredible and hope all their work in setting up the Molly Rose Foundation will help other youngsters finding life a challenge.
It really is time for Government to insist social media platforms control what they allow on their sites and to appreciate what negative posts can have on so many people of all ages.
 
Ian Darler B.E.M

The Shout 85258 London to Qatar Walk Continues August 2022
 
The walk really has been a long, hard challenge and this month I knew would be difficult to keep up the pace as we had our family holiday to North Devon and as I have learnt over recent years family time is so important and sitting on the beach is part of that family time. Eating pasties & scones doesn’t inspire you to go for a long walk, although I did still manage to get a good few steps on the counter.

I have now covered 2723 miles which relates to 4,808,659 steps leaving 496 miles still to cover before the 21st November.

The funds have continued to rise slowly which is incredible really when looking at what has been happening around the world and the situation with increased fuel and food costs.
 
Walking in North Devon
 
People who know me are aware I am always an early bird who is up most days before 6am and often in work around 7am so I seldom see the national news. However as mentioned I was on holiday this month and watched the BBC morning news for a few days and have to say that I was appalled by its content.
 
For the first time in my life I realised why the saying

“NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS” was so important.

Now I don’t blame the news presenters for this but as a message to the producers of the programme just take a look at what you put out as news and how you deliver it.  Let me tell you that from my own previous experience of having suffered with depression and PTSD the constant repeated bad news that you broadcast will affect thousands of people who may already be finding life very challenging, be it through health or financial concerns, and yes I understand news has to be broadcast but not the same intense stories again and again and again.

In just three days we had to listen to the Heat or Eat story again and again, fuel price increases, the post office strike, the train Strike, the Ukraine war, global warming issues with flooding and, the awful murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel.  Not one positive story and to be honest it was a treat to listen to the weather to have a break from the news!

The following morning at breakfast I decided to watch Good Morning Britain news channel and yes they broadcast the same news stories but it was delivered in a much more sympathetic, considerate and less intense manner with other light hearted stories in between the hard hitting news.
 
I feel very fortunate to have received such fantastic treatment from the NHS at my time of need following a serious accident. The treatment I received taught me how to deal with life’s challenges but for anybody finding life challenging who has not been offered support I can really sympathise with them as I could honestly see the news broadcast dragging them down further.

There are so many positive things happening in the world but they don’t get a mention, WHY?
A message to the programme producers -
 
IT IS TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT AND HOW YOU DELIVER THE NEWS IN THE BROADCAST AND THE EFFECT IT HAS ON SO MANY PEOPLE

Think about the impact of your delivery and the effect it has on people, why not have a change of view and make people feel better about the news stories. Negativity is never a good thing, is it really that difficult to find stories with a positive outcome to supplement the hard hitting news. Good cop bad cop?
 
Just take a look at how Anthony McPartlin & Declan Donnelly give the nation a lift and that feel good factor with their Saturday night take-away show.  Just imagine what they would do if they ever launched their own news programme, you can bet your life it would not be negative.

Steph McGovern’s packed lunch programme also shows you can discuss serious matters but deliver the topic in an acceptable way that does not drag you down and is surrounded by light-hearted features.
Sorry about my comments above but as you can probably tell I could feel the impact the news could have on so many people trying to deal with daily challenges.
 
I will close this month’s diary by saying “thanks” to Martin Blunt and Tony Kvedaras for their donations which has taken the funds raised for Shout to £14,100.00
 
Thanks
Ian Darler B.E.M