Reality TV Personality Concludes 750-Mile Charity Walk, Hopes to Inspire Mental Health Awareness

Andrew Jenkins, known for his appearance on The Traitors, expressed his desire to have motivated individuals facing mental health challenges after finishing a 750-mile journey on foot from Scotland to Wales. The former insurance broker and current reality television participant, hailing from Talbot Green, Rhondda Cynon Taf, dedicated 42 days to the walk, averaging eight hours daily. Following a severe brain injury sustained in a nearly fatal car accident in 1999, and despite being informed he might never regain the ability to walk or speak, Andrew stated that while his physical health recovered, he contended with mental health issues for “more than 20 years”. His 1,200km (746 mile) trek commenced in September from Ardross Castle in Scotland, the filming location for The Traitors, culminating at Cardiff Castle on Sunday. Upon reaching the conclusion of his journey, he shared: “My message to people out there, if you’re struggling, don’t give up, keep believing in yourself, the better days will come.” The purpose of his extensive walk was to generate awareness and financial contributions for Headway, an organization dedicated to assisting individuals with brain injuries. “I was a big, strong, rugby boy, gym goer… I assumed [my injury] made me weak,” he recounted. “Obviously it doesn’t… I didn’t talk to anybody for over 20 years. I only spoke to my family about the accident for the first time last year.” He emphasized: “People that are struggling, they don’t want to talk, and they bottle things up and that’s the worst you can do – I wish I’d open up a lot sooner.” He further stated: “Suicide rates are actually ridiculous at the moment, especially in men. I just want to help do my little bit out there for people and try and reduce them.” Andrew detailed that during his expedition, he would typically begin walking around 07:00 GMT and continue for as long as eight hours, traversing Scotland and England, and also making a stop in Northern Ireland en route to Wales. The concluding segment of Andrew’s trek led him through Knighton, Gladestry, Talgarth, Brynmawr, Cwmbran, and Caerphilly Castle, prior to his arrival at Cardiff Castle. Although he acknowledged experiencing several “dark days” mentally throughout the journey, he reported feeling remarkably well upon reaching the finish line. He quipped: “I feel like a bit of fraud to be honest.” He continued: “I feel okay. I feel fine. I think people would expect me at the finish line to be crawling covered in blood and sweat.” He speculated: “I think your body just gets conditioned physically after the first couple of weeks of walking through the mountains in Scotland.” At the culmination point, Andrew received an unexpected visit from Professor Hamish Laing, the surgeon credited with saving his life 25 years prior. Andrew, who had initially encountered Prof Laing 18 months ago, stated: “I started crying, I wasn’t expecting him.” He added: “It’s crazy, it’s not very often you get a chance to meet the man who saved your life.” He described their interactions: “Whenever I see him, it’s like I go into my childlike mode. I just go all shy and nervous.” Andrew recalled that during their previous meeting, Prof Laing had characterized him as a “miracle patient” who “basically should be dead.” Andrew concluded: “I’ve just got so much admiration and respect for this man.” Andrew participated as a finalist in the second season of The Traitors, where he narrowly missed securing the £100,000 cash prize. The 46-year-old has subsequently delivered numerous presentations on mental health, addressing various sports and community organizations situated along his walking path. Jen Murgatroyd, Headway’s director of fundraising, conveyed the charity’s “immensely grateful” sentiment towards Andrew. She explained that the funds would be allocated to assist family members in being present at the critical care bedsides of their relatives, and to support a nurse-operated helpline providing information and assistance to individuals recovering from brain injuries. Regarding Andrew, even after his demanding 42-day expedition, he showed no immediate desire to conclude his efforts. He remarked: “If I kept walking for 20 more days… I could get a Lands End.” He mused: “I was thinking I should get to the finish line and say to people, like Forrest Gump, ‘I’m going to keep on walking’.” He envisioned: “How great would it be to say to people I walked the full length of the UK from the top of Scotland to Lands End via Northern Ireland and Wales.” He then humorously added: “My partner gave me daggers at that point,” concluding, “so I’m just going to rest and take it all in.”