VIDEO - Saxon warrior marches through Peterborough on mission to reduce male suicides

Lewis Kirkbride, 37, is on a 20-day recreation of King Harold II’s ill-fated route having defeated a Viking army at Stamford Bridge, near York in 1066 only to be beaten by William and his Norman conquerors at Battle, near Hastings.

The father-of-two from Durham is contending with authentic chain-mail armour weighing four-and-a-half stone, as well as carrying shield, sword and spear.

He is taking his passion for Anglo-Saxon history to raise funds and awareness for men’s mental health social enterprise, ManHealth and to combat cases of suicide in men.

He arrived in Peterborough on a wet and windy Saturday evening.

He said: “The media coverage has been getting through and I was getting people sounding their horns in support and my brother turned up as a surprise to join me and that helped the miles pass by.”

Lewis said he was also developing his first blister from the walking boots he has been wearing.

Re-enactors from Peterborough met him at the Cathedral this morning (October 4) as he set off on the next leg of his journey to Sawtry. He will be getting a mounted escort of re-enactors on horseback heading into Sawtry at the end of the day.

After just over a week’s walking Lewis has hit his target of £10,660, so far collecting £10,817 via his web page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/1066battlewalk and now hoping to reach £15,000.

He said to have reached this much already was brilliant. “That will help 500 more men for a year,” he said.

“I have been doing a lot of training and preparation physically for putting that armour on every day and it has been getting slimy and sweaty and smelly, but it is a perfect metaphor for people having to get up and shoulder that burden of anxiety and depression on a daily basis but have to keep going.”

But he said his journey has been helping spread the word in a ripple effect: “I am getting people coming up and saying hello and then saying they have had anxiety or depression.”

Lewis said: “With male suicide the highest it’s been for 20 years and County Durham experiencing some of the worst male suicide statistics in the UK, the recent lockdown and social distancing restrictions couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

Harold had to defend his kingdom by first defeating a Viking army near York on September 25, then marching south in 20 days to face the Norman invaders at the south coast on October 14.

“Like the battles of 1066, mental health problems can invade your life and attack from all sides,” said Lewis. “We do our best to fight, but putting on a brave face every day takes a lot of energy – a bit like heavy armour weighing down on our shoulders every step of the way.

Lewis said: “Covid-19 has caused so many events and activities to be cancelled this year – it’s worrying to think about how many people are feeling isolated and cut off at the moment.”

Lewis adds: “Men still aren’t asking for help or talking when they need to. It can feel like we are alone with nowhere to turn when mental health services and communities around us are struggling to support these men – but I want to show that people are willing to listen. Nobody needs to suffer in silence.”

He said: “Depression can strike anyone at anytime; I had a tough few years and couldn’t open up to family or friends – it wasn’t that they didn’t care, but things were complicated and taking the first step was a struggle.

“Organisations like ManHealth are so important at a time when suicide is the biggest killer in men under 50. People looked at me and saw a healthy young man with a job, a home, a wife and a happy family, but I was losing my own battle with depression and anxiety.

“I wish I’d got talking about my mental health much sooner.”

Since its launch in 2018, ManHealth has opened 13 peer support groups across the North East and has launched a webchat and connect service, making it easier for men further isolated by the global pandemic and approaching crisis to access support.

Lewis’ route is taking him through our area over the next few days

• Day 9 (Saturday) – Bourne to Peterborough 16.1 miles – Starting point Bourne Library

• Day 10 (Sunday) – Peterborough to Sawtry 11.1 miles – Starting point Peterborough Cathedral

• Day 11 (Monday) – Sawtry to Papworth Everard 17.9 miles – Starting point Sawtry Post Office