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BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Nantwich builder to push wheelbarrow across Britain for charity
"I didn't realise the dark places had a cellar as well, until I got there."Crushed under the weight of financial woes, work stress and a relationship breakdown, builder Liam Challenor's mental health was taking a turn for the worse over the past two the run-up to Christmas 2024, the 34-year-old almost took his own life, only changing his mind because he was looking at a picture of his two has since managed to turn things around and on 30 June he will begin an epic challenge to push a wheelbarrow across Britain to raise awareness of mental health issues. Mr Challenor, from Nantwich, Cheshire, said he struggled with balancing family and work life, and also spent thousands to launch an app for pressure led to him being admitted to hospital because he had not been eating or drinking for three days."It was really weighing me down, everything that hit me before Christmas just took me under," he told BBC Radio Stoke. 'Things will get easier' Mr Challenor also struggled to sleep and would find himself walking around town in the early hours of the morning."The next day, you're not in the mental space to go to work so you're not earning any money," he tradesman said it was a customer who noticed how low he was and they helped him turn a corner by focusing on the positive aspects of his said walking, getting out into nature and learning to enjoy his own company helped him with his ongoing issues."Start to enjoy your own company," he said. "I promise things will get easier and things will get a lot better." 'Need picking up' Mr Challenor's challenge will see him push a wheelbarrow from Land's End in Cornwall to John o' Groats in Scotland in 61 wheelbarrow will contain the weight equivalent of his two children and he will walk the route solo in hi-vis clothingThe distance between the two locations is 603 miles, though he could end up walking up to 1,200 miles, he said, due to avoiding some of the main well as raising awareness of mental health, Mr Challenor will be fundraising for Band of Builders, a wellbeing charity for people in the said: "I want to spread a bit of happiness to people who are down in the dumps and need picking up." If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Charity gets 'record-breaking' support to help boy
A charity that supports construction workers and their families is about to embark on its next project to help a disabled boy, with a record amount of tradespeople offering to help. Band of Builders, based in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, will be helping Norfolk teenager Toby, 15, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dystonia. Renovation work to make Toby's home more suitable for his needs were started by his father, but he died on Christmas Eve. Dozens of trades have since put their names forward to help finish the work. Charity operations director Tony Steel praised the support being offered. "The more people we've got, the more we can guarantee to get this over the line," he said. The charity was started by Addam Smith in 2016 after one of his workers was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Since then it has helped many people with practical assistance such as providing home adaptations, financial grants and wellbeing support. In its latest endeavour, the charity called for tradespeople to help with "Toby's project" in Foulden, near Swaffham. It said the boy's father, Shaun Fletcher - an electrician - was doing renovations on his home that included building a wet room, so the 15-year-old did not have to be carried up and down the stairs. Mr Steel added: "Unfortunately things became a little bit too much for him and he took his own life on Christmas Eve." He said the group's intention was to complete the work that was started. If you have been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line. The charity regularly uses social media to call for tradespeople to help with its builds, but the response to Toby's Project had been "absolutely incredible" and "record-breaking" with about 150 applicants, Mr Steel said. "The people in Norfolk have just been absolutely stunning, really, and within two days we had something like 130 volunteers apply to come and give us a hand to make this project work. "Without them we wouldn't be able to do these sorts of things." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Builders finish extension for man who had aneurysm Over 70 builders come together for double amputee Man keen for 'dignity and privacy' in new bedroom Band of Builders
