NEWS
Read the latest updates and view archived articles from Walking With The Wounded's 'Walking Home Home For Christmas' December campaign.
Andrew Schofield. London to Manchester.
By Events on
When it comes to managing our mental health, we’re told ‘it’s good to talk’. An overused cliché or sound advice? A chance conversation with his brother saved the life of young military veteran, Andrew Schofield from Manchester. The conversation lifted him out of a dark depression and motivated him to seek support for his declining mental health. Now Andrew is taking on the challenge of his life, walking from London to Manchester in just five days to raise money for Walking Home For Christmas, the annual Christmas campaign from Walking With the Wounded, a charity that supports veterans like him, in what he describes as ‘a physical representation of a mental health journey’. Walking solo and carrying his own kit, Andy will sleep out on each night of the challenge.
Andy will begin his challenge at the Cenotaph in London where he will lay a wreath ahead of setting off on his epic walk (likely timing around 7:30am on Monday 5 December) and finish his walk at the Cenotaph in Manchester around 4pm on Friday 9 December.
Andrew, a former military police officer, speaks candidly about his mental health challenges, and why more men (and particularly armed forces veterans) should speak about their feelings.
He explained: “This walk is a physical representation of my own and many other people’s mental health journeys. It’s tough, lonely, unpredictable and feels impossible to overcome. What I'm doing is ridiculous and it's tough and it's going to feel impossible. There’s a military saying, train hard fight easy, so if you train hard, hopefully, the actual event itself is a bit easier. You’ve got the momentum of the event itself, the adrenaline that will help spur me on and get me through, but absolutely up to now the worst bit of this is training for it.”
Track Andy and donate to his page here:
https://live.opentracking.co.uk/whfc2022/
https://www.walkinghomeforchristmas.com/users/andrew-schofield
You may also like
Steve and Craig to take on Manchester to Blackpool walk
By Media Team on
On December 14th, Steve McGuire and Craig Nield, residents of Manchester, are embarking on a 60-mile walk from Canada Street in Manchester to Blackpool. Their goal is to raise funds to support military charity Walking With The Wounded’s Walking Home For Christmas campaign.
Supported by a dedicated team, Steve and Craig will face the challenge head-on. Upon reaching Blackpool, they will be treated to an exclusive tour of Hanger 42 Spitfire Visitors Centre.
Commenting on the Walking Home For Christmas challenge, Steve said, “I wanted to give back to those who have served our country, and this seemed like a fitting tribute.
Since joining Walking With The Wounded as an IPS Employment Advisor, I have witnessed first-hand the incredible work...
Dan Searson to walk 60km across Greater Manchester in 24 hours
By Media Team on
Dan Searson, founder of Challenge The Wild, who is based in Greater Manchester, will take on a 60km walk on the 12th and 13th December to support veterans this Christmas.
Dan served as an Army Officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps, during which time he was deployed to the Balkans, East Africa and the Middle East. He was awarded several British Army Commendations during his service.
Challenge The Wild is an outdoor based company that specialises in providing events that are unique, raises profiles, improves the physical and mental well-being of participants, and builds exceptional teams. Dan has supported Walking With The Wounded for many years, delivering numerous fundraising events and supporting the charity's beneficiaries through a...
An Interview With: Andy Schofield
By Media Team on
Last year, Walking With The Wounded (WWTW) supporter and veteran, Andy, took on a mammoth Walking Home For Christmas (WHFC) challenge. He walked from London to Manchester (350km) over the course of five days. We sat down with him to find out what inspired him to take on the challenge and how he prepared.
What were you reasons for signing up to WHFC?
I signed up for WHFC firstly to support my veteran community. It pains me to see so many people who served that are now suffering mentally, physically, and emotionally. The rise in veteran homelessness is staggering and the transition to civvy street is nuanced and complex. I wanted to do my part for the community and to raise money for WWTW, a shining light in the veteran charity space!
I...