A football fan has begun a 1,000 mile walk from Scotland to the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany to raise money and awareness for men’s mental health.
Craig Ferguson, 20, of Paisley, set off from Scotland’s national football stadium Hampden, in Glasgow, to Munich.
He left at 10am on Saturday and will walk for 37 days, aiming to arrive in time for the first game of the tournament on June 14 between Germany and Scotland.
All the money he raises will go towards Brothers in Arms, a Scottish men’s mental health charity.
Mr Ferguson initially intended to raise £10,000 but having already beaten that target, he now hopes to hit £50,000 by the time he reaches Germany.
The first leg of his challenge will see him walk from Glasgow to Hull, East Yorkshire, which he hopes to complete in 12 days.
He will then take the ferry to Rotterdam in Holland, and cross six countries before reaching Germany.
While walking, he will wear a specially crafted, ultra-light sports kilt in a Euros tartan by Scottish kilt-makers Slanj.
The flags of Scotland’s group A opponents, Germany, Switzerland and Hungary are all featured in the kilt’s design, while a dark blue backdrop represents the colour of the Scottish strip.
Supporters can follow his journey through an online tracker, updated daily using his GPS location.
Ahead of his journey, he said: “In the same way that football unites men, I hope to unite people and communities throughout my journey across Europe on a crucial aspect of wellbeing – men’s mental health.
“I am so excited to get going and can’t wait to fly the flag for Scotland on this special journey.
“When the going gets tough, I’ll remind myself why I’m doing it and think of the 12 men that take their own lives every single day in the UK.
“It really is a gift to be fit and healthy, and to have the opportunity to do something that I love – to explore new corners of the world and to test my fitness.
“Thanks to everyone who has supported me thus far, I really do appreciate it.”
The money raised for Brothers in Arms will go towards the development of a digital “talking and listening” tool named Blethr that aims to lower the male suicide rate in Scotland.
Brothers in Arms founder Dan Proverbs thanked Mr Ferguson for his support, stating: “We are so grateful that Craig has chosen to support Brothers in Arms with his inspiring mission.
“He is quite literally ‘walking the talk’, and I hope that his epic walk encourages men to talk about their mental health as openly as they talk about football.
“All the best, Craig – we’ll be with you in spirit every step of the way.”
Supporters can follow Mr Ferguson’s journey at: https://www.brothersinarmsscotland.co.uk/craigswalk, and donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/page/iwouldwalk1000milesformensmentalhealth.
