BBC award for 'band of brothers' walking group

A community group which meets for a weekly cuppa and a stroll by the sea to help combat loneliness in men has won a BBC Make a Difference award for improving the lives of others.

Walk and Talk EA, founded by Mark Harwood in Gorleston-on-Sea, Norfolk, has been described as "lifeline" for men struggling with their mental health.

Harwood was among nine community heroes who received well-deserved recognition at a ceremony in Norwich on Thursday night.

"I see a huge difference in men's happiness; we'll have people come to us not knowing where to turn, and a few months down the line their whole life has been turned around," said Harwood, who added he was elated with the award.

The group came about shortly after lockdown, when Harwood noticed several posts on social media, by men, about loneliness.

"I made a post on Facebook, just saying I was going for a walk and a cup of tea on the beach, and invited any lads to join me, whether they were friends of mine or not.

"The first walk, we had three show up, 16 for the second walk, and 30 by the third.

"These days, we have around 35 to 40 men join us."

Harwood's nominator said the group, which collaborates with GPs and counsellors, had saved his life and "picked me up from a very dark place".

"[There is] no judgement, no stigma, just a community of men coming together for themselves and indeed others," his statement added.

"A band of brothers that build unbreakable friendships."

Speaking to the BBC after receiving the award, Harwood and fellow group members Ray Porter and Liam Reece said the evening had been emotional.

"We have had a very, very difficult week due to somebody that we did lose," said Porter.

"Being here means that we can save more people like that, hopefully, in the long run.

"We don't have a hierarchy - the whole group are exactly as we are, they're so supportive and we all live by the same adage: if you can help someone, help someone.

"People just gravitate to what we do, and they blossom. We've all achieved various things in our life, but nothing's been greater than this."

Harwood won the Community Group award at a ceremony at St Andrew's Hall, hosted by BBC Radio Norfolk's Kayleigh Poacher and Look East presenter Amelia Reynolds.

The annual event celebrates people from across Norfolk, including tireless volunteers, hard-working fundraisers and great neighbours who go the extra mile.

Friends Sienna and Tilly, both 13 and from Hellesdon, near Norwich, were named Young Heroes.

Their Shoebox Squad has filled many hundreds of shoeboxes with gifts to spread joy at Christmas. They make sure they get to people who many not receive presents, including local care home residents and domestic abuse survivors, and those in need in Romania and Ukraine.

Among the other winners were volunteer Sandra Edmonds, who is in her 80s and runs Great Yarmouth and Gorleston Memory Club for people with dementia, and great neighbour Jenny Ellis, who set up a youth group when she realised there was little for local children to do in her village of Southery, near Downham Market.

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