Wigan dad will walk barefoot and spend night in stocks in latest challenge for mental health organisation

Nigel Brookwell crawled all the way from Wigan town centre to Standish last year, while he has also pushed a hospital bed for 10 miles at Run Wigan Festival and walked part of the Wigan 10k in a four-stone vintage diving suit.

He has raised thousands of pounds over the years for good causes and hopes to boost the coffers even further with his latest wacky idea.

Nigel, who lives in Swinley, plans to walk barefoot from Wigan to Standish on Saturday, June 3, wearing nothing but a kilt and carrying a 35kg sandbag.

Once he arrives, he will be blindfolded and spend the night locked in the stocks outside St Wilfrid’s Church, before walking back to Wigan town centre the next day.

Nigel has dubbed his challenge Nige's Walk of Pain to the Stocks of Shame and hopes to raise £5,000, along with awareness of mental health service Empathy Northwest CIC.

Based on Library Street in Wigan town centre, it is run by volunteers and offers therapy sessions and other support at a subsidised rate for people struggling with their mental health.

He supported the same organisation last year and raised more than £6,000, which was used for refurbishment work so it could expand its services.

The 49-year-old said: “The feedback I got from last year’s challenge was that it really helped. People spotted me crawling up Wigan Lane and picked up their phone to find out what I was doing. It led to people getting help, who might not have got it otherwise. It made me feel really helpful, knowing that I had helped people living in Wigan.

"It made me think what I could do this year that would follow up from the daft thing I did last year. It is so difficult time come up with anything that’s original these days.”

Nigel’s theme for the challenge is “tough times don’t last”, as he wants to convey the message that things can improve for people struggling with their mental health.

He hopes to highlight the range of emotions that people can face, from the tiredness he will battle during each four-and-a-half mile walk to feeling trapped and in a dark place as he spends the night in the stocks.

Nigel is encouraging people to join him on the walk, to help him combat any feelings of loneliness.

He is aiming to raise £5,000 for Empathy Northwest, but is also taking on the challenge to highlight the organisation’s work, as he is concerned about the number of people dying by suicide.

Nigel, who has two children, said: “I am kind of dreading it, but I like the physicality of these different challenges because it makes me feel useful. That’s what motivates me, particularly after the feedback I got last year.

"The more people that know about what I am doing, the more chance we have of getting someone to engage if they are struggling.”

To find out more about Nigel’s challenge or donate, search for Nigel’s Walk of Pain on Facebook or Instagram.