Why We Do It: Walking Extra Miles for Mental Health

The Walk347 and NAS Magna Carta humanitarian and advocacy collaboration is not just about fundraising for charities and raising awareness for worthy causes. Our approach is ambitious. We aim to be more active in reshaping attitudes towards mental health care, fostering conversation and collaboration among all stakeholders, and influencing governmental policies to improve access to treatment and services.

A passion for humanistic ideals and positively impacting our communities, both in the diaspora and at home, led to the founding of Walk347 by NAS Magna Carta as a special-purpose collaboration vehicle in 2019. This same passion inspired the conceptualisation of the BanStopPrevent mental health advocacy project in 2020, which focuses on collaborating with key community stakeholders to promote better support and understanding of mental health care while eradicating harmful practices that exacerbate the struggles of individuals with mental health conditions.

Since 2016, when we completed the Ultra Challenge’s 100km walk from London to Brighton, we - the founders of Walk347, NAS Magna Carta (Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Cambridgeshire chapter of the National Association of Seadogs) - have dedicated significant resources to supporting mental health charities such as Mind UK, Mind in Mid Herts, and Amaudo UK. We’ve raised thousands of pounds for these non-profits while working to raise awareness about mental health within our communities, where stigma remains prevalent. However, we have always sought to expand our impact. As members of the diaspora, we are leveraging the knowledge, experience, and expertise gained from supporting these causes in the UK to expand our efforts to Nigeria.

Through the BanStopPrevent mental health advocacy project, our goal is to advocate for humane treatment and improved mental health policies in Nigeria. We aim to drive sustainable change for people affected by mental health challenges while also advocating for governmental policies that improve access to mental health services. A key strategy involves fostering grassroots collaboration by uniting traditional, religious, women, youth leaders, community influencers, mental health professionals, and traditional/spiritual healers. We believe that by working together, this united front can effectively eliminate harmful practices such as chaining, flogging, and the destitution of individuals suffering from mental health conditions.

Why are we doing this? We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to seek and receive dignified mental health treatment in a supportive, compassionate environment. Through our advocacy, fundraising, and awareness efforts, we strive to provide immediate relief and drive lasting change.

We recognise that this may be a long journey, but just as we have walked thousands of miles in our fundraising and awareness challenges, we are committed to going the “extra miles for good”. Each step we take symbolises our dedication to creating a world where mental health care is accessible to all and no one suffers due to outdated stigmas, harmful practices, or a lack of support in recovery. With the BanStopPrevent Advocacy Project, we are determined to go the necessary distance to make this vision a reality.

Chudi Nwigwe, PhD
Capoon, NAS Magna Carta
Leader of the Walk347 Collaboration