After a friend took his own life, Shaun Cook felt compelled to help others with their mental health. The Abertridwr father explains how he set up Men.Talk.Walk, a men's wellbeing walking group that uses the National Cycle Network to explore the Caerphilly countryside.
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The National Cycle Network gives Shaun and his walking group a place to come together and look after their mental health.
Reflecting on how his own experiences that compelled him to start the group, Shaun explains:
“I spent a lot of time on my own during Covid to shield my daughter.
“The only thing I could really do was come out and walk and try and clear the mind.
“During that time, my Nan passed away.
“Just being out in nature was a help – especially being in South Wales, with all the cycle routes and the walking routes, the beautiful views.”
‘A problem shared is a problem halved’
“An old manager of mine, who was like a role model to us youngsters when we worked with him, ended his own life.
“I was in bed one night with my wife and I said, ‘I want to try and help as many men as I can with their mental health’.
“I set Men.Talk.Walk up on a Wednesday evening, and by the Sunday, there were 10 or 12 of us out.
“A lot of the men who do join us come for their mental health and we talk about it – a problem shared is a problem halved.
“90% of our walks start or end on the [National] Cycle Network.
“Just being out together and seeing the friendships forming, it just feels fantastic and makes me feel so proud.”
Since Shaun started Men.Talk.Walk, over 150 men have walked with the group along routes all over South Wales. Credit: Kenyons
The transformative power of walking outdoors
The National Cycle Network is an interconnected network of mainly off-road paths for walking, wheeling and cycling.
It has been there as a free resource when the group of men have needed it most, to get away from it all and connect with nature and their budding community.
For many of the 150 men who have joined the walks, the experience has been transformative and, for some, perhaps even lifesaving as the group works to break the stigma of talking about mental health.
The National Cycle Network is for everybody
Christine Boston, Director of Sustrans Cymru, says:
“Shaun’s powerful story will hit home with many people and highlights just how vital it is to have an accessible, free space, such as the National Cycle Network, where people can come together and experience the benefits of being outdoors and connecting with nature.
“Men.Talk.Walk is proof of the friendships that can form in such spaces and an apt reminder that the National Cycle Network is there for everybody – and is for far more than cycling.
“We are delighted Shaun is harnessing its potential to bring people together to reap the benefits of exploring outdoors and hope his group encourages others to follow suit.”
Support the Network
The National Cycle Network is a free, accessible space that provides a lifeline for many people like Shaun. But this national asset requires constant care and costly maintenance. Please give £10 today. Your donation could help the National Cycle Network transform many more people’s lives for generations to come.
Protecting and improving the National Cycle Network for generations to come
Spanning more than 12,000 miles across the UK, the National Cycle Network is waymarked by a number in a little red square.
It is affectionately known as the spine of walking, wheeling and cycling in the UK, and a beloved part of our active travel heritage.
Our staff and volunteers work to care for and improve this vital infrastructure, while championing a long-term vision for its future, which includes ensuring the paths are accessible for everyone.
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