A RIDING-MILL man is to take on a 900-mile walk in a bid to get other men talking about their mental health.

Former sports industry executive Andy Caine will walk from John O Groats to Lands' End from October 5.

The 45-year-old wants to encourage men across the country to share their struggles and walk alongside him for sections of the challenge.

It comes after Andy experienced suicidal thoughts after the breakdown of his marriage and burnout work culture.

He explained: “My happiness was dependant on material possessions, job titles and a purposeless direction in life.  

“My body was trying to tell me something was wrong. I was displaying clear signs of stress through unhealthy levels of anger, addiction to exercise, loss of appetite and a poor ability to focus and had difficulty sleeping. The signs were there that something needed to change.

“Like many men, I looked for practical solutions and I made the move to change it all at once. I decided to take some time out from my career to work on myself, with the long-term aim of getting back into employment after six months. Then, Covid hit. My industry froze and I made the difficult decision to move back home at the age of 43, which hit me hard.

“The shame of divorce, not living with my two young children, who were three hours away, and in lockdown restrictions and with no employment prospects, I ended up signing on for government support. All of these things were so far removed from the story I told myself about who I was and created huge mental anguish. 

“My usual motivation, confidence and positivity was at an all-time low as symptoms of depression started to deepen and led to thoughts of suicide.

“I became a recluse, even from my own parents in their house. I withdrew from all of my friendships. Feeling isolated in the shame and guilt, like nobody else in the world would know what I was going through. Some days I struggled to get out of bed, constantly waking up in deep, heavy sadness. I couldn’t shift it."

Andy credits men's groups for supporting him through this challenging time.

“Finding my purpose and realising how I needed to show up for myself and others as a man and father was my new mission in life - and my pathway to my recovery", he said.

“Although things are changing, for many men, there are still societal and emotional barriers to really being vulnerable and talking about our feelings with friends and family.

“Men’s groups have changed that for me. The opportunity to connect with other men and share incredibly vulnerable experiences in a safe, non-judgmental space is powerful, relatable and liberating."

Andy will be raising funds for CALM – the Campaign Against Living Miserably and other local organisations supporting mental health.

You can follow Andy's journey at instagram.com/passageofmen