Three Dads Walking complete journey in Norwich

Three fathers who have walked 500 miles (805km) to raise awareness of suicide have crossed the finish line in Norwich.

The Three Dads Walking - Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen - have all experienced the loss of a daughter through suicide.

The trio left Stirling, Scotland on 17 April and were greeted by crowds of well-wishers in Norwich on Saturday as they ended their walk, each holding a photo of their daughters.

Mr Owen, from Shouldham, Norfolk, said it felt "incredible" to complete the challenge for young suicide prevention charity Papyrus.

"We've got lots of people locally here, but also people have travelled nationally to be with us," he said.

Mr Owen's daughter Emily took her own life in 2020 during lockdown when she was 19.

Mr Owen met the other fathers through the charity Papyrus.

It is dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

The Three Dads have stumbled into a wedding, walked past some of the country's best-known landmarks and also met Labour leader Keir Starmer to discuss why they believe suicide prevention should be put on the national curriculum.

Mr Palmer, from Greater Manchester and who walked for his late daughter Beth, said in Norwich: "We believe so many families don't have to go through this terrible grief.

"It is difficult but that is why we walk, in memory of our girls, and all those who have been lost.

"Sadly, if we don't don't do something positive, we are going to lose more and more children."

BBC Breakfast was among those to welcome the dads across the finish line and hear their fundraising feat had made £110,000 so far, and a further £15,000 in bucket collections.

Mr Airey, from Cumbria, said: "After we lost Sophie we didn't know what to do.

"We were looking for a charity to support at her funeral and we were introduced to Papyrus.

"Once you realise what great work they do, I couldn't help but get stuck in, and here I am five years later."

In total, the Three Dads have now raised more than £1m for the charity.

Papyrus chief executive Ged Flynn paid tribute to them as they completed the equivalent of a marathon a day on their Walk of Hope.

He said their achievement had been a "transformation of tragedy to hope".

It had enabled the charity to go "from having five offices to having 20 hubs around the country, from having a part-time helpline staffed by professionals there every day around the clock now, because of these guys," he said.

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