Man carries 50kg sandbag over 16 miles to highlight mental health burden

Daniel Jude, from Preston, participated in a team effort to carry a 50kg sandbag over 16 miles. He stated the purpose was to underscore that mental health problems “can be difficult to bear alone.” Mr. Jude spearheaded this weighted walk alongside eight companions, traveling from Preston North End FC to Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road stadium, with the aim of raising funds for the Movember campaign. According to Mr. Jude, the group members rotated carrying the sandbags for six and a half hours, which he described as an effort to “share a metaphorical load of worries and stresses.” He also noted that despite the sandbag being “heavy,” the team “laughed through the pain.” Movember is an annual campaign conducted in November, dedicated to increasing awareness and securing funding for various men’s health concerns, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health. The 43-year-old, who works as a personal trainer, boxing coach, and life coach, expressed his pleasure at having raised over £1,000 through the weighted walk. He stated: “Men often carry a significant burden of mental health challenges.” He added, regarding the walk: “We all did it together. It was a team effort all the way through.” Mr. Jude, who mentioned having overcome his own mental health struggles, undertook the task of carrying the weighted sandbag from Preston to Blackpool with the intention of encouraging men “to speak out and not to be afraid to ask for help.” He affirmed: “It’s not weak to ask for help – it’s the opposite.” Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk and via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.