2 years ago today we met @andrewrobertso5 youtube.com/watch?v=AOFFnAZi… m.youtube.com/watch?v=AOFFnA…

We always say ‘the best walks are right on our doorstep’ So this morning lads enjoyed a beautiful walk through two of our local parks, Princes & Sefton, taking in the fresh air, the welcome sunshine & more importantly, plenty of conversation along the way. We also paid a visit to our little “Florrie Triangle” — a place that has become very special to us and gives us a moment to stop, reflect and remember our sadly missed brothers. So you don’t always need to travel miles to improve your day. Sometimes it’s simply about getting out of the house, getting a walk in & feeling better about yourself And that’s what @WalkFlorrie has always been about #NeverAlone ❤️💙

@WalkFlorrie started in 2022, to help men who may struggle with mental health, wellbeing, fitness, loneliness, addiction, as well as those who just to get out and enjoy walking for companionship. We provide men with a platform to talk and support each other, ending the stigma surrounding men’s mental health. Currently, we assist over 100 men each month with a combination of therapy, counselling and employment support. Additionally, we encourage members to participate in such as meditation and yoga through @TheFlorrie wider Community Hub Activities. #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Unfortunately, negative attitudes and beliefs toward people who have a mental health condition are common Social stigma and discrimination can make mental health problems worse and stop a person from getting the help they need You can help challenge stigma by speaking up when you hear people around you make negative or wrong comments about mental illness #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Amazing turnout for the our Friday walk this morning Research has shown that walking on a daily basis can help lessen symptoms associated with mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Try & join us @WalkFlorrie the mental health benefits of walking are massive, from lowering stress levels to helping you reset #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Every Monday & Friday morning at 10.30 we walk & more importantly we talk. There’s a stigma surrounding men that they don’t talk but we @walkflorrie aim to normalise discussion. We offer a place of non judgement, all the while breaking down outdated stereotypes of ‘man up’ or ‘bite your lip’. We believe a community focused approach works. We’re here for you. You are #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Started Monday with a positive mind & surrounded by happy faces You never know what someone else is carrying, so a simple good morning to someone & you have impacted that persons day massively, it could be their only contact Good to see Kevin attend his first walk today. Good egg is our Kevin. Whatever this week brings, take it one day at a time & remember you’re #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Always believe in yourself, and you will realize that even those small steps taken in the right direction can produce great results #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Vamos Rayo! bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…

While we’re battening down the hatch’s at home Here’s @BeamishThomas enjoying his holiday at Calvin Beach, Magaluf, in his @WalkFlorrie sun hat & looking the party ☀️

Today is @WMHDay No-one truly knows what somebody else may be carrying, it could be the person who makes everyone laugh or the mate who always says they’re fine or your workmate who never has a day off, even the stranger you pass in the street. Sometimes the biggest battles are the ones we simply cannot see, so how about today you try check in on someone you haven’t heard from for a while? A simple phone call. Or if you’re struggling yourself, please remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness #NeverAlone ❤️💙

And just like that @WalkFlorrie 24-Hour Walkathon is complete & what an incredible 24 hours it has been. 46 lads took part, completed more than 500 miles, walking through the day & night and into the following morning & as things stand, we have also raised over £3,800, which is an unbelievable amount that will help @TheFlorrie continue supporting people within our community who need us most. But from the very beginning, we said this walkathon was about more raising money it was about raising awareness & especially around men’s mental health & about reminding people that mental health struggles aren’t always visible and that the person walking alongside you could be carrying something you know absolutely nothing about. So our message was simple one “Until you’ve walked a mile in someone’s shoes…” And people listened & joined us, we had four organisations join us helping us spread that message beyond @TheFlorrie We also had two separate groups organise their own walks in conjunction with ours, showing that you didn’t have to be physically walking alongside to join forces with what we were trying to achieve. That’s what made this year’s campaign such a success. Yes, we raised £3,800+ & walked 500+ miles, but how many people saw our posts? How many conversations were started? How many people stopped for a moment and thought about a mate, brother, dad, son, colleague or neighbour who might be struggling, that’s the true measure of what @WalkFlorrie do, but more importantly, how many people were reminded that it’s okay to talk and it’s okay to ask for help? That’s real success for us. Also huge thank you has to go to everyone who donated, shared our posts, sent messages, walked with us, supported from afar, made cups of tea, kept spirits up during the difficult hours and helped us get through the full 24. So a special thank you to @ianbroad1981 @timotierney @leeswan_lee Tony Chin, Jenny, Tena and Caroline, who helped enormously with everything behind the scenes and throughout the event. Things like this simply don’t happen without people giving their time and pulling together And tonthe 46 @WalkFlorrie lads who walked, you should be proud of yourselves, cos every mile & every conversation meant something. So aching legs will recover & tiredness will disappear but hopefully the message keeps going. Cos that’s what @WalkFlorrie are all about making sure that when somebody is going through their darkest days, they know they’re #NeverAlone ❤️💙

@WalkFlorrie would like to thank 2 groups of amazing people, Andrew & Gibbo who yesterday walked a 6 mile circular from Macclesfield Canal thru to Lyme House National Trust and back all in aid of our 24 Hour walkathon. What the lads achieved yesterday embodies what we are trying to promote, ordinary people doing extraordinary things & making a difference in their community. We thank you. Also gratitude to the Camino walkers who walk Via Francigena to Roma every year to meet the pope in aid of charity, known as the pilgrim walkers, they walked 12 miles in support of @WMHDay & raised some much needed money at the start of our 24 hour walkathon. These good people are always at the forefront of charity walking & raise amazing donations & sponsorship for local charities. Thank you #NeverAlone ❤️💙

Just a reminder that raising much-needed funds through our 24-Hour Walkathon is incredibly important. Every pound raised helps @TheFlorrie continue supporting people through wellbeing activities, counselling, welfare support and simply providing somewhere people know they can turn to. But there’s something even bigger behind these 24 hours. Awareness. Every person who walks a mile, every photograph shared, every conversation started and every person who sees our message helps us remind somebody that they are #NeverAlone Mental health struggles don’t always have a visible face. Someone can be laughing, working, going to the match, looking after their family or getting on with everyday life while privately fighting a battle nobody else knows about. That’s why raising awareness is paramount to what @WalkFlorrie 24 Hour Walkathon is all about. We want people to talk. We want people to listen. We want people to notice when somebody isn’t quite themselves. And most importantly, we want people to know that asking for help is never a weakness, quite the opposite it’s a sign of strength If our Walkathon encourages just one person to open up, one friend to check in on another, or one person struggling in silence to realise there are people ready to listen, then those 24 hours have achieved something money simply cannot measure. So yes, please donate if you can because every penny genuinely matters to us. But you can also support us without spending a penny. Walk a mile. Share our message. Start a conversation. Check in on someone. Because sometimes raising awareness can be just as powerful as raising money ❤️💙

The final leg is underway after the changeover in @TheFlorrie cafe The 2.30 gang stomped the rain & came thru the the other side dry after a lull in the weather If you’re on your way to work & see the the boys walking, give them a shout of support to help them along #NeverAlone ❤️💙

The 10.30 gang have arrived back @TheFlorrie & passed the flag to 2.30am walkers, who despite the cruel weather are determined to carry on The lads are in great spirits & have heard off towards Aigburth Vale on ‘the graveyard shift’ as it’s become known. Hats off to the numbers who turned up as well, not easy at this time of night #NeverAlone ❤️💙

The walkathon passes on from our 6.30 group to the 10.30, both sets off lads have endured some treacherous weather condition’s out there & are still walking in great spirits. We cannot thank enough these groups who thru whatever the weather still turn up & carry the 24 hour walkathon forward. Just like mental health the struggle isn’t always plain sailing. There’ll be rough waters, difficult days and times when you feel like you’re battling against the tide. But keep moving forward. Talk, reach out and let someone walk alongside you. You don’t have to weather every storm alone ❤️💙