Hundreds of staff from housebuilding firm Vistry Group are taking part in a nationwide event which is aiming to raise awareness around the issue of suicide among young people.
The housebuilder, which employs more than 3,000 people across the country, is this year supporting Papyrus – a charity set up to help prevent suicide in the younger generation.
And this month staff from the company are staging a nationwide Vistry Voyage which will see a commemorative book carried hundreds of miles across the country.
The book is being taken by foot, on two wheels and by various different forms of human powered transport.
Vistry, which is made up of its Housebuilding and Partnerships arms, has 23 business units across the country stretching from the North East of England to Devon and Cornwall.
Staff from each business unit will take be taking charge of the book for their own section of the journey.
Volunteers from across the business are playing their part and will be using all available means of transport from scooters to roller skates. In total the journey will cover 1,163 miles from start to finish.
Everyone who takes part in the mammoth trek will personally sign the book and money is also being raised through sponsorship throughout the six-week-long journey.
Those who have been affected by suicide in some way in their lives - be it through friends, family, colleagues or someone in their community – are joining the voyage. Others who simply wish to pledge their support by raising awareness are backing the appeal.
The ambitious event has been planned to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day which this year takes place on Saturday, September 10th.
It has long been recognised that the housebuilding industry has one of the highest suicide rates of all the professions.
According to national statistics more than 1,400 construction workers took their own lives between 2011 and 2015. The suicide rate for the industry is estimated at more than three times the national average for men.
Vistry chief executive Greg Fitzgerald said: “Papyrus is a charity which is very close to all of our hearts, and we have been supporting the organisation in a number of ways throughout the year.
“We have been delighted but not surprised by the amount of support our staff from all parts of the business have shown for the charity throughout the year from skydiving to people taking part in treks across the Sahara.
“The Vistry Voyage is one of the biggest charity events we have organised to date and we are proud that so many people from so many parts of the business are giving their spare time to play their part.
“People will be running, cycling, walking and even kayaking and paddle-boarding. The whole concept of the voyage is remarkable and I want to send a big thank you out to everyone who is getting involved.
“The issue of suicide is one that is important to all of us as a business particularly as it affects so many of the people who work in our industry.”
For updates on the Vistry Voyage, visit www.vistrygroup.co.uk and follow the housebuilder on social media.