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'I'm doing Sahara race for men's mental health'

Sarah Spina-Matthews
BBC News, Yorkshire
Charlie Parish A head-and-shoulders picture of Charlie Parish. He is wearing a cap and a backpack and has two water bottles attached to his front. He is smiling directly at the camera.Charlie Parish
Charlie Parish is completing a 155-mile marathon through the Sahara Desert

A Yorkshire man who is set to attempt what has been dubbed "the toughest foot race on earth" said he was doing it to raise awareness of men's mental health.

Charlie Parish, 36, from Harrogate, began the 252km (155 mile) Marathon des Sables through the Sahara Desert in Morocco this week.

The seven-day race has seen Mr Parish carry all of his gear and food and sleep in a tent with eight others - raising money for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably (Calm) in the process.

"I've had fairly severe mental health issues in the past," he said. "Thankfully I'm in a great place at the moment which is why I feel comfortable to highlight it."

He added: "I have never used the services offered [by Calm] but I think it's extremely important that people are aware of how they can get help."

Mr Parish said men's mental health was a cause close to his heart.

"Sometimes it just needs to be on a much lower level of guys saying 'I've had a crap day' or texting a mate and saying 'do you want to have a beer":[]}