Series of health scares prompts walking club idea
BBCA building site manager who faced a series of serious health challenges in quick succession wants to start a weekend walking club to help boost mental health.
Mark Bloore from Stoke-on-Trent, known online as Mr Bloor, runs a beard grooming product business alongside his day job in the construction industry.
After a colitis diagnosis, being involved in a crash, collapsing at work, and having a cancer scare, he said his time spent in hospital had made him realise how many other people were struggling or lonely.
He said: "I want to create a walking club for people who are suffering with recovery, mental health, traumas, where we come together in a car park, put our boots on and away we go."
The site manager said he thought his time was up after his car hit the central reservation in a multi-vehicle crash on a dual carriageway last year.
"We walked away from it, but there was a wagon involved, and it was scary."
That was followed by developing a temperature and collapsing after returning from a trip to India over Christmas, which led to him being resuscitated in hospital
It was while in hospital that he reflected on how many of his fellow patients looked lonely, and could benefit from being involved in a simple social event.
Once he is back to full health, he aims to start organising steady walks and a brew in Stoke-on-Trent's parks, in association with the church he joined after realising he had been given "a second chance at life."
Bloore said it was really important to "get stuff of your chest" and getting out in the fresh air would be a chance to share thoughts with others without being judged.
"It might just be an hour, but that hour might change somebody's life, make them think 'I've enjoyed today,'" he said.
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