Blackpool medic team's trek to highlight mental health

Dan Farnworth, paramedic, Rich Morton, paramedic lecturer, Gill Despard and senior paramedic, Phil Baggaley complete their Scarborough to Blackpool Blue Light walk for charity.

A team of four from the Fylde walked from the RNLI base at Scarborough to its Blackpool counterpart to raise money for the Mind Blue Light Programme.

Emergency medical technician, Dan Farnworth, paramedic, Rich Morton, paramedic lecturer, Gill Despard and senior paramedic, Phil Baggaley took six days to reach the west coast with people joining them on the last 19 miles from the Broughton Ambulance station in Preston.

The charity supports emergency services members who may be suffering from mental health issues, warning that the workers deal with traumatic and harrowing incidents on a daily basis and do all they can to help the people in their care but often forget to look after themselves.

Dan Farnworth, paramedic, Rich Morton, paramedic lecturer, Gill Despard and senior paramedic, Phil Baggaley set off on their coast to coast trek to raise money for the Blue Light Walk charity.

Dan Farnworth said: “It was hard work but absolutely brilliant. We set ourselves little goals along the way and we got a lot of support.

“I would like to thank all the volunteers and people along the way who helped and supported us.

“The walk is over but the journey of improving mental wellbeing in the emergency services is just beginning.

“On the last day to Blackpool we had more than 200 people walking with us.

“A charity ball was held at AFC Fylde on Saturday night with around 170 people there which helped raise quite a lot too.”

The mental health charity’s Blue Light Programme has set up a helpline which provides independent and confidential support and advice for emergency service staff, volunteers and their families.