I'm fundraising for Rethink Mental Illness!
20 Miles for 20 Lives
In memory of my Dad, Ian Leslie-Miller. In support of mental health awareness and world suicide prevention day.
In January 2024, I lost my Dad to suicide.
He was an incredible photographer and artist, and he had a way of seeing the world that I will never forget. But he struggled with his mental health for a very long time.
Losing my Dad made me realise how important early intervention, open and honest conversations, and fast access to support are for those who struggle.
And that's why I will be walking 20 MILES FOR 20 LIVES.
On 19 September 2026, what would have been my Dad's 59th birthday, I will be walking 20 miles alone and in silence to raise money for Rethink Mental Illness and to raise awareness around world suicide prevention day.
The 20 miles represent the approximately 20 people who die by suicide across the UK each day.
I will be walking alone and in silence because I want it to represent the journey that many people experiencing poor mental health can find themselves on — a journey that can feel incredibly lonely, even when there are people around them. A journey that can feel never-ending, particularly when the help you need can feel out of reach.
Rethink Mental Illness supports people severely affected by mental illness through practical support, advice, community services and peer support, while campaigning for better mental-health care and greater understanding. Their work also includes support with providing housing, employment and advice for those affected by mental illness.
In 2024, more than 7,000 suicide deaths were registered across the UK. Around three-quarters were men. In England alone, 74% of registered suicide deaths in 2024 were male, with the highest number of deaths occurring among men aged 45–64.
The fact that men are so disproportionately affected is something I feel particularly strongly about.
We need to make it easier for men to speak out when they are struggling and to de-stigmatise mental health. I want to help people feel empowered to speak out when they are struggling, and to reach out when a loved one may be struggling too.
It starts with a conversation and could end with a life saved. No one should struggle silently. No one should struggle alone.
We need to be able to say "I'm not okay" without embarrassment.
We need to be able to ask for help without feeling like we've failed.
And we need to actively ask others how they really are, and be available to listen to the answer.
Talking about suicide does not "put the idea into someone's head". Creating safe opportunities to talk can help people feel less alone and make it easier to find support.
And if someone tells you they're struggling, take them seriously.
I am incredibly grateful for any donation people may be able to give. But if you can't donate, that's absolutely fine.
Please just take the message with you.
Reach out to your friends, colleagues, family, neighbours, clients — whoever is around you — and check in.
Never stop asking "Are you really okay?"
Not just a passing "you alright?" — actually ask.
And if you sense that something isn't right, ask again.
You don't need to have the perfect answer. Sometimes being willing to sit with someone and hear how they feel is enough to start a conversation.
We can't always understand what another person is going through, but we can acknowledge that their feelings are real and that they deserve to be heard.
NEVER be embarrassed to ask for help.
If this fundraiser helps even one person access support, helps one person feel less alone, or encourages one person to ask for help when they otherwise wouldn't have, then those 20 miles will have meant something.
Behind every statistic is a person.
A friend. A parent. A child. A sibling. A partner. A loved one.
And behind every person are people left behind.
Talk about suicide.
If you are able to donate, every contribution will help support Rethink and the incredible work they do to support people experiencing mental-health difficulties.
If you can't donate, please consider sharing this page, checking in with someone you care about, or simply starting a conversation.
For Dad.
Big love and rave on. ❤️
