A FUNDRAISER hopes to walk more than 1,000 miles to raise money for a mental health charity that helped him when he was unwell.

Roy Peach, from Oxford, decided on New Year’s Eve that he would walk a 1083.8 mile route from Land’s End to John O’Groats via Oxford to raise money for Restore.

Restore is a charity that helps those suffering with mental illness in Oxfordshire.

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Due to lockdown restrictions he could not physically do his walk, however, Mr Peach still hopes to cover the miles whilst being at home.

In January Mr Peach completed 190 miles, leaving 890 miles to complete.

The determined walker even continued walking around his home when he was forced to self-isolate as he had come into contact with a coronavirus case.

He said: “I have a bit of a problem with one of knees, and a bit of a problem with my feet making it difficult to walk.

“Plus my own mental health stuff that’s going on, putting myself under this sort of pressure could be an interesting challenge.”

Mr Peach said he is ‘determined’ to succeed despite these challenges.

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He aims to have completed the end of his walk by Mental Health Awareness Week which begins on May 10.

The awareness week's theme this year is to focus on the role nature and the environment play in mental health.

Mr Peach said the plan to walk the distance from the bottom of England to the top Scotland was a ‘spur of the moment idea’.

He said: “I looked after mental health really well during lockdown but needed something different to challenge me, so I signed up.

“It has literally spiralled but it’s great because it’s helping me and it is helping others.

“The world of mental health can be a scary one.”

Mr Peach was diagnosed with anxiety disorder five years ago.

When he heard the prognosis he thought it signalled ‘the end of [his] life’.

With the support of Restore, however, Mr Peach realised he was ‘not alone’ and could improve both his mental health and physical wellbeing.

He added: “Doing this in aid of Restore means that I am giving somebody else a chance of hope.”

Throughout his walk, Mr Peach will track his progress through a blog, as if he was walking the actual route.

The blog will contain interview with local people and pictures from the areas he would have been walking through.

Miranda Davies, community fundraiser at Restore, said: “It is so exciting to see such a creative and inspiring project, particularly when so many activities and events are on hold. Roy’s story and the money he raises, will provide a real boost to our current service users.”

To support Mr Peach on his walk visit www.gofundme.com/roys-lejog-walk-for-restore-oxford

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