CHARITY


296 DAYS FOR MENTAL HEALTH


A journey that began with the Met now stretches to 4,000 kilometres of walking, aiming to change how the country talks about mental health


In January 2026, as the winds whipped across the Shetland Islands and most of Britain hunkered down against the cold, Jonathan Kemp, Viscount Rochdale, laced up his boots and took his first steps on a 4,000kilometre odyssey. Over 10 months, he will cross Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland - 296 days of walking, talking, and opening up conversations that too often remain closed. Jonathan, 64, served as a Metropolitan


Police sergeant before becoming an author and mental health advocate.


32 | POLICE | APRIL | 2026


For most of his policing career, he was unknowingly battling bipolar disorder, depression and addiction, conditions that went undiagnosed for decades. Now he is


“It is a symbol of what the mental health journey feels like.


using his experience to shine a light on the hidden struggles faced by officers and the public alike. On 1 January 2026, he began his epic


You keep going, even when it is dark, cold and difficult.”


trek, giving talks in workplaces, schools, universities and community groups, sharing his story and encouraging open conversations about mental health, along the way. “This is not just a walk,” he said. “It is a symbol of what the mental health journey feels like. You keep going, even when it is dark, cold and difficult.” Jonathan’s


background is far from


typical for a British aristocrat. Although heir to the Rochdale viscountcy, he spent years trying to escape the expectations that came with his family name. He


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