Jeffersen GLEDHILL
Hadrian's Wall Hike
Fundraising for Leeds Mind
Story
Hi, I'm Jeff. On 22nd May 2017 - in memory of Daniel Morrison Spray, a good friend and colleague, who sadly passed away in 2015 - I'm setting off from Bowness on Solway, heading towards Wallsend on Tyne and following Hadrian's Wall.
Walking the Wall is an 84 mile hike along Britain's largest, most spectacular historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site. I'm conscious that Dan had done this himself - he talked about it in North Bar, on one of the last occasions we met; he also talked about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The best description I've read for bipolar comes from a recent letter to the Yorkshire Post:
'Manic Depression is now known as Bipolar Disorder by the professionals but that sounds more like an Antarctic expedition.
'The words "manic depression" are more descriptive of the psychotic illness.
'This illness is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. // It tends to show itself at times of stress. ... // The illness has the effect of causing damaging changes in mood, hence the modern name of Bipolar Disorder.'
Some time after Dan passed away, I was talking to another friend, Karen, who also shared an ambition to walk the Wall - by happenstance, the plan started coming together whilst sat, again, in North Bar. It seems only appropriate now the plan is coming to fruition to set up a Fundraising Page in memory of Dan and to benefit a worthy cause, alongside the walk.
Contributions at Dan's funeral were made then to Inkwell, Potternewton Lane, Leeds: http://www.inkwellarts.org.uk/about-us/ , which is a Leeds Mind Project, who promote positive mental health and wellbeing, and provide help and support to people who need it. The turnout at Dan's funeral was testament to the man's popularity and raised a lot of money for this cause. As he had such a wide group of friends, most of whom I wouldn't even know, please feel free to share this page with anyone you know who knew Dan and might want to contribute to it again.
As Carrie Fisher wrote about being bipolar: 'We have been given a challenging illness, and there is no other option than to meet those challenges. Think of it as an opportunity to be heroic – not “I survived living in Mosul during an attack” heroic, but an emotional survival. An opportunity to be a good example to others who might share our disorder.'
This walk alongside the monument will be a challenge for me, taking 6 days - I've never done anything like it before. My wife, Helen - also a friend of Dan (and without whom this simply would never have happened) - will have a different "monumental" challenge on her hands: surviving a week alone with our nearly 4-year-old son and my mother-in-law ;) Whilst it won't be easy, we're under no illusions, though, that this is heroic. Supporting Leeds Mind, however, might just give somebody like Dan the chance to meet their own mental health challenges; for them to be heroic; for them to survive. This is an opportunity for us to support that cause and remember Dan...
Leeds feels a lonelier place without you here, Dan x
Walking the Wall is an 84 mile hike along Britain's largest, most spectacular historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site. I'm conscious that Dan had done this himself - he talked about it in North Bar, on one of the last occasions we met; he also talked about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
The best description I've read for bipolar comes from a recent letter to the Yorkshire Post:
'Manic Depression is now known as Bipolar Disorder by the professionals but that sounds more like an Antarctic expedition.
'The words "manic depression" are more descriptive of the psychotic illness.
'This illness is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. // It tends to show itself at times of stress. ... // The illness has the effect of causing damaging changes in mood, hence the modern name of Bipolar Disorder.'
Some time after Dan passed away, I was talking to another friend, Karen, who also shared an ambition to walk the Wall - by happenstance, the plan started coming together whilst sat, again, in North Bar. It seems only appropriate now the plan is coming to fruition to set up a Fundraising Page in memory of Dan and to benefit a worthy cause, alongside the walk.
Contributions at Dan's funeral were made then to Inkwell, Potternewton Lane, Leeds: http://www.inkwellarts.org.uk/about-us/ , which is a Leeds Mind Project, who promote positive mental health and wellbeing, and provide help and support to people who need it. The turnout at Dan's funeral was testament to the man's popularity and raised a lot of money for this cause. As he had such a wide group of friends, most of whom I wouldn't even know, please feel free to share this page with anyone you know who knew Dan and might want to contribute to it again.
As Carrie Fisher wrote about being bipolar: 'We have been given a challenging illness, and there is no other option than to meet those challenges. Think of it as an opportunity to be heroic – not “I survived living in Mosul during an attack” heroic, but an emotional survival. An opportunity to be a good example to others who might share our disorder.'
This walk alongside the monument will be a challenge for me, taking 6 days - I've never done anything like it before. My wife, Helen - also a friend of Dan (and without whom this simply would never have happened) - will have a different "monumental" challenge on her hands: surviving a week alone with our nearly 4-year-old son and my mother-in-law ;) Whilst it won't be easy, we're under no illusions, though, that this is heroic. Supporting Leeds Mind, however, might just give somebody like Dan the chance to meet their own mental health challenges; for them to be heroic; for them to survive. This is an opportunity for us to support that cause and remember Dan...
Leeds feels a lonelier place without you here, Dan x