Barrow man Jack Oldham will walk for mental health awareness

Barrow Island man Jack Oldham, 33, is on a mission to raise awareness of mental health and raise money for services on the peninsula.

Until January, Jack owned the franchise for the estate agents Yopa South Lakes and said he had turned it into a £100,000 a year business. However this all came crashing down when he had two attempted suicides in December 2023, he said.

Jack with his partner Jenna Wade, who died by suicide (Image: Submitted)

Jack was the partner of hair stylist Jenna Wade. He said she was 'the most incredible thing that ever happened to me.' Tragically, Jenna died by suicide in 2019 aged just 31.  

After that, Jack said he self-medicated through using drugs such as diazepam and cocaine. He threw himself into work, growing his business rapidly.

"I wasn't aware of mental health," said Jack. "I was never around it - I never understood it. When I lost my partner - on that day I lost everything. I went out and bought an estate agency." 

Jack swimming with Kingston (Image: Submitted)

However after his breakdown, he said: "I have been diagnosed with multiple mental illnesses, I am under psychiatric treatment." 

Jack walked away from the business, wanting to work on his mental health. He said he has got 'totally clean off his own back' since then. In the past, he loved to go hiking and now he has decided to do the Coast to Coast walk and back, starting from St Bees on August 2, and returning from Robin Hood's Bay. 

His English Bulldog Kingston will be joining him on one leg of the trip.

He said that his family have been 'extremely supportive' of the 400 mile round trip.  

Jacks wants to use the walk as an opportunity to raise awareness around mental illness.

"It's about saying look - if you have had those things happen to you you can move forward," he said.

He will be documenting his journey on his social media channels. 

LINK to fundraiser.