Pedal power
Chester postie of 12 years, Sean Sweetman, is currently preparing for a gruelling 800-mile charity cycle that will take him to all 20 Premier League stadiums.
Sean and four friends, who all hail from Blacon, are to embark on the mammoth challenge next May to raise funds for two causes close to their hearts – The Stroke Association and the suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).
The group will cycle to each Premier League ground, from Newcastle to Southampton, and aim to finish their challenge on the final weekend of the 2020/21 season.
Sean, a Chester FC fan, lost his dad, Peter, to a stroke last year, while his friend Adam, who skippers Blacon Youth FC, has also lost family members to strokes.
The five friends also want to raise awareness of CALM, a charity they have supported in the past, having had close friends and family affected by suicide and mental health.
‘Raising the funds would be great,’ said Sean. ‘But more than anything, we really just want to raise awareness, especially around mental health and suicide.
‘If what we does helps someone get help, then that means the whole thing is worthwhile. It's a challenge that I hadn't seen done before, so that's why we decided to do it.
‘We've been mates for years, we're all best friends. We've done fundraising things in the past, but this one is the most ambitious. We're hoping we'll get plenty of support and I can't wait for it. I'm not particularly looking forward to the Newcastle leg, though.’
Sean said that the training the group are undergoing for the event is hard and a ‘real eye opener to what we actually have to do in May’.
‘It’s not all about the money,’ he said. ‘That’s an added bonus. Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 45. We’ve all seen friends leave us and seen how their deaths affected the families.
‘All five of us have, in some way, been in a dark place in the past, and we know the effects it can have on one’s mindset. I lost my dad to a stroke just over a year ago, and Adam lost his aunt and nan to one. The impact it has on a family is massive.’
Chester shift manager, Joe Hall, said: ‘It’s great to see Sean taking on such a tough challenge for a good cause and I look forward to seeing how he gets on!
‘It’s something I know that I could never do, so I hope his mission is successful and he’s able to raise awareness in a way that may help others in difficult situations.’
If you would like to help the group reach their £2,000 fundraising target, please visit their Saving Males Through Miles fundraising page.
