Speedo Mick: Praise for 'fantastic human being' who raised £1m

For nine years, Michael Cullen has crossed the length and breadth of the UK wearing little more than a pair of blue swimming trunks to raise £1m.

Speedo Mick, as he is better known, began by swimming across the English Channel and has gone on to climb four mountains and walk 6,000 miles.

The 58-year-old said it was a way to thank the people who helped him with his own mental health challenges.

He has completed his final walk, from John O'Groats to Land's End.

He is hanging up his trunks having made his "dream come true" after he passed the £1m mark on Thursday.

The money he has raised has helped more than 120 organisations across the UK and Ireland through The Speedomick Foundation, the fund he set up to give grants to small charities supporting those with mental health issues, disadvantaged young people, the homeless and others.

Among them is The Liverpool Homeless Football Club in Mick's home city, which received £3,000 to help it put on matches, provide food and help those it supports access mental health and medical advice.

The club's chief executive John Finnigan said Mick has been "a true inspiration and a man with a massive heart".

"He has been through some really tough times himself," he said.

"He understands what the lads and girls here are going through, he gets it.

"If we were all a bit like Mick, the world would be a much better place".

Along the M62, Abby Noonan from Manchester Lifeshare, said it was "fantastic" how Mick had helped to raise awareness of small charities.

The homeless charity received £2,000 from Mick's foundation, which helped fund one-to-one services for young people in crisis as well as respite projects.

Up the road, Guy Christiansen at Lancaster-based Lancashire Youth Challenge, which works with disadvantaged teenagers across the county, said the £720 it received funded fitness sessions at a local gym.

He said the group was "hugely grateful for the support" and the inspiration that Mick provided.

"The tenacity and resolution Mick has is proof of what can be achieved," he said.

"He has made a difference to so many people's lives."

Over the border in Wales, the foundation has helped to fund Youth Shedz Cymru, a charity set up by recovering drug addict Scott Jenkinson to prevent young people joining gangs.

The charity, which helps young people to build and run their own community hubs, received £2,000.

"I want to say 'thank you Mick for all the lives you have touched'," he said.

"What Mick does and why he does it, it is exactly the same as why we do what we do.

"It's about loving people and helping them get better."

Further north, homeless charity Steps to Hope in Edinburgh got not only a grant, but also a personal appearance when Mick took a detour on one of his walks to visit.

"He turned up in his Speedos and was chatting to everyone and doing selfies," founder Richie Roncero said.

"He's such a charismatic guy, full of banter and in great spirits all the time."

The charity has received £5,000 in funding, which Mr Roncero said had helped to feed "thousands of people".

On Stornoway, the Western Isles Association for Mental Health received £4,000 for mental health support and activities.

Director Rebecca Mahony said Mick had helped raise awareness of mental health and homelessness.

"By him sharing his story and being so open, he has helped to reduced the stigma around mental health and also homelessness," she said.

"He's inspired so many other people to seek help and share what is happening to them.

"He's a fantastic human being - we are so grateful and hope he can now enjoy some time relaxing."

Over the sea in Northern Ireland, Links2Pink, which supports families in Antrim, used a £4,000 grant to buy paddleboards to help physical and mental wellbeing programmes.

"Mick is very like us in his ethos of helping people at ground level," founding member Gayle Carson said.

"He's a wonderful human being with a massive heart and we wish him all the luck in the world, good health and happiness."

Back in England and nearing the end of his final walk, he was welcomed to Cornwall by local charity Hidden Help, who has been following him on all his challenges.

Trustee Sinead Hanks said the charity, which helps local people furnish homes with recycled furniture, used £4,000 in funding to buy "desperately needed" carpet tiles to make homes comfortable.

She added that she would miss seeing him and following his endeavours.

"Seeing him walking through the streets in just his swimming trunks has been an unusual sight, even for Cornwall, and he's so cheery all the time," she said.

"We see a lot of people walking from Land's End to John O'Groats but Speedo Mick is just unique."

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