Gainsborough Headteacher takes on the Walk In the Park challenge

Luke Lovelidge, a Head Teacher at Benjamin Adlard Primary School in Gainsborough has taken on the Walk in The Park challenge. Forming a team with Sam Coy, Matthew Bean and Sam Lovelidge, the team are walking an amazing 30 miles from Grantham to Lincoln this weekend on the 8th of May.

Gainsborough Headteacher raises money for male mental health

Lincoln City Foundation launched their ‘A Walk In The Park’ Challenge last month asking the people of Lincolnshire to walk park to park in aid of Male Mental Health this month. In this inclusive challenge, supporters can set their distance and date to suit them, with all money raised going to support Lincoln City Foundation’s male mental health project, Team Talk.

Luke’s team have been hard at work fundraising, and so far have raised an amazing £1000 between them, while training up for the big day. As a Headteacher, Luke is passionate about not only setting a good example for his pupils in promoting good mental health and the importance of talking, but also embodying the school's values in raising aspiration, showing resilience and working as a team.

When asked about what inspired him to take up the challenge, Luke had this to say,

“We come from a generation of men that has been encouraged to talk and know the importance of promoting good mental health.”

“Sadly I know people who have suffered with their mental health in the past and as a result, I think it’s important to do what we can to ensure that there are services to support those that aren’t lucky enough to have that support network around them”

A Walk in the Park with Lincoln City Foundation

Funds raised go to fund the Lincoln City Foundation Team Talk project, setting up hubs across Lincolnshire to support men. Team talk pledges to tackle male mental health in Lincolnshire by providing dedicated wellbeing hubs, activities, advice and support for men ages 18+. We aim to have hubs throughout Lincolnshire, giving men a safe space, and peer to peer support to talk about their problems, find advice and take part in activities designed to improve their well-being.

The team will kick off their walk on Saturday from Belton House in Grantham, finishing in Luke’s local park in Welton. They estimate the walk will take them approximately 12 hours, and will keep us updated throughout the day on their progress. Keep an eye on our social media channels on Saturday to see how they are getting on.

If you would like to support Luke and his team you can donate to their fundraiser here https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Luke-Lovelidge

Want to join in the fun? It's not too late to sign up to A Walk In The Park, visit www.lincolncityfoundation.com/awalkinthepark for more details