A man from Glasgow finished an epic walk to London in order to raise money for the charities Help for Heroes and Mental Health UK. Lewis McInnes aged 25 walked 400 miles from his Glasgow home to London so he could do his bit for both charities. Lewis says he hopes to join the British Army and was devastated when he learned his application had been rejected as a result of mental health issues which arose when he was 15.
Serving as an inspiration
Instead of becoming despondent he decided he would serve as an inspiration for others and took on the challenge of raising money and awareness along the way. It took Lewis 18 days to walk from Glasgow to London where he was greeted by his local MP as well as Metal Health UK representatives. Lewis set out to raise just £1,000 but has managed to raise more than 5 times that amount. After finishing the challenge, Lewis said the walk was an experience of a lifetime and he learned a lot about himself.
Proving he can get the job done
Lewis says he accepted the challenge to prove to himself he has the ability to get the job done regardless of whether others believed his mental health issues prevent him from doing so. He also wanted to raise awareness around mental health as well as those who have served in the military which is why he chose to raise money for both Mental Health UK and Help for Heroes.
No shame
Today no one should feel shame or embarrassment to seek support from family or friends if they are struggling with mental health issues or any problem. Lewis says he wants to provide as much as support as he can and demonstrate to others that is fine to not be fine. He says he is committed to doing whatever it takes to prevent others from feeling alone or feeling the need to take their lives. Lewis says he is thankful for all the donations which helped him out do his target.
