Tom sets off on his 100-mile walk to Snowdonia

Fitness enthusiast Tom McHugh is hoping to raise £1000 for a mental health charity by walking to Snowdonia from Oldham.

Earlier this month, we told you about Tom's struggle with his own mental health, which drove him to take on his tough task.

Yesterday, Tom set off from his home at 6am to begin the 100-mile journey to Snowdonia on foot.

Tom's proud wife Gwen told the Chronicle: "I am unbelievably proud of him.  He's camping in a tent for the next few days on his mission, to keep safe and distanced from people during Covid restrictions.

"I'm hoping that if people see him on his travels, they will wave or give him a beep".

Tom is making the journey with his trusty dog, Willow.  He says that the companionship of Willow has helped him with his own struggles with his mental health.

"She's a working dog known for long distance walking in Alaska, but she is also my life saver and has helped me out of some dark places.

"I suffered mental health problems from a early age after losing my mum at age 12 and then my nan at the age of 15.

"The worse thing I did was bottle things up until I exploded at the age of 33 where I had to open 22 years of hurt to my family.

"I've seen friends ripped apart with mental health problems and I've also seen kids and know kids that have ended up in hospital, and worse.

"It breaks my heart to see and hear it."

Tom and Willow are hoping to raise £1000 for YoungMinds, a charity that provides support and advice for young people who are experiencing difficulty with their mental health.

"I believe if we can give the kids the best help and get them to understand that it's okay to cry and talk about their feelings more, they will have a better chance in life.

"We will never get rid of any social media, but we can start to reduce the mental health effects that kids are suffering with and give them a better understanding of life instead of putting so much pressure on them from a young age."

The journey is expected to take around four days.

If you would like to support Tom in his fund raising efforts, you can donate to his Virgin Money giving page.

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