Community / Mental health fundraiser to touch down in Shetland
A PILOT is set to embark on a fundraising mission to fly around the whole of the UK – including stopping off in Shetland.
Lyle Weir, 24, estimates that the journey will take around 40 hours in total.
He will land at Sumburgh on day four of the challenge, having travelled from Wick, and after a fly around Shetland he will depart for Stornoway.
The challenge, which is kicking off at the start of September, is raising money and awareness for mental health charity The Mix.
“I have suffered my own personal battles with mental health due to the loss of close family which led me to a very low and dark time of my life that I kept quiet and to myself for a long time,” Weir said.
“Along with my own battles, some people in my life that mean the most to me have suffered badly with mental health leaving me to feel helpless and unsure of what to do or say.
“Worst of all I have lost close friends who have had to battle with mental health and sadly chose to take their own life due to it. I know everyone reading this has their own stories and experiences with it all, the time is now that we come together and start doing something about it.
“This charity flight won’t cure everyone and make the illness disappear. But if it gets people talking, opening up and realising they are not on their own then that to me is success.”
Weir, from Gloucester, will use a single engine aircraft and he plans to cover the route effectively in one go – with breaks, of course.
He plans to make around 20 landings and stops on the trip, which Weir feels will make a “strong, positive and uplifting message”.
People can donate to the fundraiser here.
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