Mum's 22-mile mission in memory of daughter

A mum whose 17-year-old daughter took her own life is planning to walk across Devon to raise money in her memory.

Darcy, who died in 2021, would have been 22 this year.

In honour of this, her mum Debbie Hollinson plans to walk 22 miles (35km) from Tavistock, where Darcy lived, to Plymouth, where she was at school on 25 May.

"I'll be thinking about Darcy with every step, wishing she was with us," said Ms Hollinson, a Devon and Cornwall Police community support officer.

It is the latest in a series of events organised by Ms Hollinson in memory of her daughter, and in aid of Papyrus, a suicide prevention charity.

The goal is to raise £22,000.

Ms Hollinson said: "I wish I wasn't doing this at all.

"But we know so many people struggle with suicidal thoughts... I don't want anyone to go through what we have been through and go though daily.

"I think Darcy would be surprised at how many are taking part.

"When she died, she thought nobody cared and the world would be better off without her.

"I wish she'd have known how many people have come forward to support this event.

"It started off just being a small group of us doing it, but lots of people have joined and there are lots of different teams."

Ms Hollinson said there was "so much stigma attached" to the subject.

"We just have to keep talking about it and make it easer for people to talk about," she said.

Her daughter, she added, was the "first person to come forward" when someone was upset.

"Darcy was really sporty: she was a horse rider, a climber, an RAF cadet and a Brownies volunteer."

Thanking all those taking part in the walk, she added: "Twenty-two miles in one day is a long way and there could be up to 100 people.

"It's as much about having conversations and raising awareness as it is about raising the money."

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