Wilson & Co sponsor Scunthorpe to Cleethorpes sponsored walk - In aid of Suicide Awareness

Wilson & Co Scunthorpe are very proud to be sponsoring a sponsored walk from Scunthorpe to Cleethorpes on Saturday August 28th 2021, a distance of over 28 miles in support of One For The Lads and Deaf Minds Education.

To donate follow this link https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/shaun-fitzgerald

Shaun Fitzgerald decided to organise and arrange a sponsored walk to raise funds for Suicide awareness and prevention earlier this year.

As Shaun says in his own words;

"There have been in the past, and more recently, people committing suicide for many reasons, and this had a personal effect on myself. I am profoundly deaf and had  suicidal thoughts in the past and I also lost a friend when I was very young. This made me very upset, and I considered ending it all. Through my own perseverance and being positive, I decided to turn my life around and think more positively. All negative thoughts were removed and replaced with positive ones instead." 

"This was achieved through hard work, keeping myself fit, and turning down help  externally. Looking back, I feel lucky that I was able to do that for myself but  recognise that there is no shame in seeking help when you are feeling unwell."

Where to and from?
We are walking to Cleethorpes from Scunthorpe on Saturday August 28th 2021.
We are starting from DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort in Scunthorpe and finishing on the Pier at Cleethorpes.

Distance
The overall distance will be 28 miles and we will be supported by one support vehicle throughout the route.

Start and finish time
Start at 7.00AM from DoubleTree by Hilton Forest Pines Spa & Golf Resort in Scunthorpe and finish at 3PM (approximately) on the Pier at Cleethorpes.

Who is involved?
Shaun Fitzgerald and John Smith - who are both profoundly deaf - are doing the walk together.

Bio of each walker
Shaun Fitzgerald was born profoundly deaf and throughout his life has had to face barriers to learning. This resulted in feeling negative in general. He has created his own business and is employed as a Web Developer. He has presented TEDx talks and provides talks to groups of people around the UK, looking at Mental Health and Deafness and within that area, Suicide awareness and prevention. He is a strong advocate of having a positive sense of well being and having a positive mindset. Shaun is a regular campaigner for having a healthier mind and viewing life in a more beneficial way.

John Smith is profoundly deaf and British Sign Language is his first language. He is
a fully qualified Teacher and Assessor, he teaches British Sign Language Levels 1 –
6.

Why are you doing the walk?
The walk has been organised to address the issue of Suicide in young people. Sadly, suicide is far too prevalent in society and too many young and older people are taking their own lives when confronted with a crisis. I have had close friends and people I knew, who sadly took their own lives. I have had similar feelings in the past, through positive thinking, regular exercise, I managed to overcome those particular feelings and move on. The walk is in recognition of these events and we are doing this to make people more aware of the risk of suicide in people we know who are close to us.

Raising funds for who?
We are raising funds for two organisations. One For The Lads, and Deaf Minds Education, who create training courses for those who work within Mental Health and Education. The courses amongst others, look at Suicide Awareness and Prevention.

Sponsor opportunity: walk 1 mile with us...
You can have the opportunity to walk with us for a distance of 1 mile for a donation. What we need from you is to register an interest, offer a donation, and give us a reason why you want to be involved. We will then look through the list and invite people to attend. So, if you are feeling fit and want to walk with us then please contact us at hello@deafmindseducation.com.

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/deafmindseducation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/deafmindsedu?lang=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deaf-minds-education