Three Dads Walking make final push into Norfolk

Three fathers who are taking part in a 500-mile (805km) hike to raise awareness of suicide have arrived in Norfolk on the final stage of their challenge.

The Three Dads Walking - Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen - have all experienced the loss of a daughter through suicide.

The trio left Stirling, in Scotland on 17 April and arrived in Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire on Tuesday night - and were set to walk the 21.8 miles (35km) to Castle Rising, near King's Lynn, on Wednesday.

Mr Owen, from Shouldham, Norfolk, said on the Three Dads Walking blog page: "If our walk does one thing, I hope it helps open up that discussion and makes people realise that it [suicide] needs to be put on the national agenda."

Mr Owen's daughter Emily took her own life in 2020 during lockdown when she was 19.

He said his daughter was a very caring person, who "couldn't understand why people were so nasty".

"Whenever she saw injustice or hurt she wanted to help," he added.

"Losing our young people in these numbers is unacceptable and has such far reaching consequences for so many people for decades afterwards."

Mr Owen met the other fathers through the charity Papyrus.

It is dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

"We wish we had known about that service, so the more people who know about this, the better," he said.

He said the three men often talked about doing something to "try and pull something from the devastating and dark circumstances we were in".

The Three Dads Walking will make their way through Litcham, Taverham and ending in Norwich on 11 May.

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