A Weymouth man is walking 650 miles across England with a 36kg cast-iron postbox on his back, inviting anyone he meets to join him and talk about loneliness.
Stu Skinner MBE, 45, set off from Carlisle on September 21 and expects to finish at Portland Bill around December 20.
Stu has experienced periods of feeling isolated, disconnected and lonely and can talk about the impact that this has on mental health. It led him to found Head Outside, the charity the walk is raising £20,000 for.
He said: “In 2024 after a moment of loneliness, looming eviction, and a lot of uncertainty, I bid on a postbox at a charity auction.
“It was a mad thing to do but it also acted as a catalyst – here was this symbol of communication and connection, how was I going to use this to raise awareness for Head Outside? I’ve not looked back since.”
Only days into this challenge, strangers are already helping him carry the load. After letting Stu sleep in his barn near Hadrian’s Wall, farmer Andy from Gillsland saw how cold and tired he was and insisted on taking the postbox in his Land Rover the next morning while Stu walked and recovered.
“I initially felt as though I was cheating,” said Stu. “Then I realised that accepting somebody’s help was exactly what this challenge represents.
“Loneliness can feel like carrying something unbearably heavy on your own. Sometimes we need to let another person carry part of that weight.”
On his first morning in Carlisle, a 84-year-old man called Nils spotted the postbox and gave Stu an impromptu two-hour guided walk of the city.
“The postbox is a ridiculous but surprisingly effective conversation starter,” said Stu. “People see it, laugh and ask what on earth I am doing. That creates an opening to talk about something which can otherwise feel difficult or uncomfortable.”
Donate here to help Stu raise money for the Head Outside charity.