Men to carry 85kg log on 31-mile walk

Five men will be walking 31 miles (50km) while carrying a 13st 5lb (85kg) log to raise awareness about men's mental health.

The Carrying the Weight Together team will be carrying the weight by hand across the whole length of Worcestershire Way, a walking route from Bewdley to Malvern, without the help of any vehicles.

Made up of Jack Thompson, Alex Gibbs, Ben Thompson, Jamie Willis and Jordan Powell, who all hail from the county, the group will be raising funds for the Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind charity.

Gibbs told BBC Hereford and Worcester that the log "promotes conversation and having good chats while we walk".

"It's to symbolise the weight that many men carry," he added, "if you share the weight it makes it easier."

"I find walking with somebody, talking shoulder-to-shoulder rather than face-to-face can be much easier."

So far, they have raised £600 of their £1,000 target and will be carrying out the challenge from 3 to 6 April.

Along the way they will be stopping off at pubs to further highlight the importance of conversation and providing a safe space for anyone who wants to have a chat.

Jack Thompson said: "We want to raise money for Mind but the key fact is that we want to raise awareness for men's mental health.

"It's a way of getting interest because not every day do you see five blokes carrying a log through the woods."

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