A postwoman has pledged to walk 10 MILLION steps in a year to raise money for a suicide charity – while wearing shorts in in all weathers.
Nikki Graynor, 47, is almost a month in to her challenge, which she started in tribute to a friend who died in 2015.
She’s walking at least 15,000 steps every day in order to meet her milestone in just one year of delivering post.
And she has committed leave her legs uncovered, because she wants to be “noticeable” while doing her rounds.
Nikki, who lives in Richmond, North Yorks., said: “I think it needs to be done, especially with all the negativity in the news at the moment, this is something to be positive about.
“When I got help from this charity back in 2015, I was shocked at the statistic.
“The North East of England has the highest suicide rate in the whole of the UK, the majority of those being men between the age of 18 and 55.
“I’m doing 10 million steps in a year whilst wearing shorts, no matter how cold it is, and a giant bobble hat because I need to make a difference and get people talking.
“I wanted to be noticeable so I thought I’d wear shorts all day, even though it can be quite chilly in the north east, and I wear giant bobble hats because people stop and talk to me about it and its starting a conversation.
“I also post positive mental health messages on missed delivery cards on my post route, so just a smiley face and wishing people a good day to make them smile.”
Nikki started her journey on December 1 last year after wanting to give something back to local charity ‘If U Care Share Foundation’, based near Newcastle.
The charity had helped her after she lost her friend Michael to suicide in 2015, and she’s now she’s working hard to make a difference in her own way and raise money for the foundation.
She said: “As a postie, I can make a difference. A hello and a smile – I might be the only person that that person has spoken to all day.
“I thought I really need to do something because the NHS is on its knees with the pandemic and the mental health system is broken with so many people suffering.
“Its a silent killer. People don’t talk about it and I don’t want anyone to feel that their only option is to end their life.
“You never know the inner struggles that someone is dealing with. They might look ok on the outside but it doesn’t mean they’re ok on the inside.
“If I can just save one person by doing what I’m doing, then that is something.”
Nikki is hoping to raise £500 for If U Care Share Foundation and has already raised £248 for the charity in the first two months of her challenge.
You can donate to Nikki’s fundraising page here – https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/mypage/awatson847
