Worksop Guardian Coverage of Mental Health Awareness Walk
Richard McHugh will be representing In Sam’s Name by walking from Sandy Lane, in Worksop, to Sheffield FC’s Sheffield Road for Worksop Town FC’s league game on Saturday January 7.
Richard will be walking alongside members and representatives of In Sam’s Name to raise awareness of men’s mental health and raise funds for the group.
In Sam’s Name was set up in late 2021 by Richard McHugh after the death of popular Sam “Sponge” Fisher, who passed away in October 2021.
Sam was a teacher at Prospect Hill Junior School, in Worksop, as well as an avid traveller. However, it was while travelling in Australia that Sam tragically took his own life at the age of just 29.
With the help of Sam’s dad Stewart Fisher, and Kurt Lewis, the group has been running fortnightly meetings at The Edge, in Plantation Hill, Kilton, since January last year. They are now hoping to expand its services with a new base in Retford to run on alternate weeks.
The group will be leaving Sandy Lane at 7.30am as they take on the 18-mile walk before watching the match at 3pm.
Richard, aged 44, said: “We've always said that we're a men's talking group in Bassetlaw, and that feels a bit unfair when it's solely in Worksop.
“Retford is a town probably a similar size to Worksop, so if we are shouting out that we're a group for Bassetlaw people then we want to open it up out there, and it also gives us a wider coverage and more frequency with these meetings.
“We've seen that we've done a lot of good. Some people have come to the group while going through troubling times, and you can see now they've come through the other end and they're actually giving the support and their experiences to people who are on the journey themselves.
“It's been worthwhile and it's given a service that wasn't there in the past.”
If you would like to join the walk, or to find out more information about future meetings, please email: info@insamsname.co.uk