Samaritans volunteer walks 6000-mile trek - again

A Samaritans volunteer who was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honour's list is taking on an epic 6,000 mile trek for the second time because he believes the need to raise awareness is even greater.

David Matthews originally set off from his home city of Doncaster in April 2019 to visit all 201 branches of the charity in the UK and Ireland before finishing in October 2021.

This time round his journey began in Knoydart in Scotland in September, where he aims to return in October 2026.

Matthews said: "I was reading the news about the suicide rates going up again and the people struggling... and I thought actually there's probably more need now than there was in 2019."

The fundraiser admitted he initially had no intention of setting out again.

"I wasn't going to do it but then remembering the stories about the first walk and the people I met and then the pandemic came literally halfway through. That messed the whole thing up and I'd sort of put all that to the back my mind and then I thought actually it wasn't as great as I'd hoped it would be," he said.

Matthews raised more than £20,000 for the Samaritans last time and is hoping to get to £50,000 this time.

"If I had one wish, it would be for everyone to know they are not alone in their moment of need," he said.

"Every journey we take in life has its challenges and out of these come some amazingly positive experiences and knowing that many of you will be inspired to donate gives me the strength and courage to complete this walk."

The divorcee will make the solo journey by sleeping in his camper van each night.

"I get up early with the light and park my van where I'm going to end the day and then get a bus back to my starting point," he explained.

The next few months will see Matthews cover much of the east coast of England including stopping at branches in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk before heading into London. He's also planned a 10-week stretch in Ireland.

With coronavirus restrictions affecting his first trek, this time the only hiccup has been "a bit of flu" and a "tendon issue" which delayed plans for a fortnight.

"I was in Glen Trull in Scotland on the first walk and there was a trail of painted pebbles with nice paintings on and little sayings and one of the pebbles had a saying in chalk that really spoke to me. It said, 'it's not the mountain we conquer but ourselves' and it's so true," he added.

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