Six friends from Bromsgrove completed a 1,000-mile bike ride from John O'Groats to Land's End in 11 days to honour builder Dick Cashmore and raise awareness of mental health in construction. They launched the Dick Cashmore Legacy Foundation and have raised over £20,000 for Mind, exceeding their £16,000 target. Organisers say the challenge strengthened local bonds and aims to encourage men in the industry to talk about their feelings. National groups warn suicide rates among construction workers remain high and call for better support and systemic change.
Six Friends Cycle 1,000 Miles From John O'Groats to Land's End in Builder's Memory
The Bromsgrove men hoped their ride would encourage more tradesmen to talk [BBC]
Six friends from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, completed a demanding 1,000-mile charity bike ride in 11 days from John O'Groats in northern Scotland to Land's End in Cornwall to honour the memory of builder Dick Cashmore and to raise awareness of mental health in the construction industry.
About the ride
The group — who call themselves Stem, Moggy, Connor, Pete, Si and Frank — set out to complete the route in memory of Cashmore, who died in 2020 after a long struggle with his mental health. They initially aimed to raise £16,000 for the mental health charity Mind and have now raised more than £20,000.
Why they did it
Cashmore's family and friends have also launched the Dick Cashmore Legacy Foundation to spotlight mental health issues among construction workers and to fundraise for support services.
"It's the stigma. It's one of those things where men are men and it's a manly job to do, so you don't speak about feelings, you get on with what's in front of you,"
said Connor Franklin, a friend and former colleague, as the group passed through Bromsgrove. "But then it's hard when you're feeling down, so it's nice to know that we have created such a good friendship group around us that we feel we can do it, so spreading that is important."
Sam Knock, Cashmore's nephew and one of the organisers, said the ride had "really brought people together." He described Dick as "a proper bloke, a builder by trade, known by everyone in the community," and praised the turnout of people who came to support the riders and remember him.
Wider context and support
National charity Band of Builders promotes conversations about mental health among tradespeople through its Big Brew campaign. Kelly Taylor, operations and safeguarding lead at Band of Builders, warned that around two construction workers take their own lives every day in the UK, underscoring the scale of the problem.
The National Federation of Builders highlighted industry pressures that can worsen mental health, including late payments, insecure work, the physical toll of construction and rising business costs. Rico Wojtulewicz, speaking for the federation, said organisations across the industry are providing support but added that "change is needed."
If this story affects you or someone you know, support is available via the BBC Action Line and organisations such as Mind and Band of Builders.
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester for more coverage on local community efforts and mental health initiatives.
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