Our great friend Stephen Hall, Police Sergeant 212 from the Isle of Man Constabulary, the proudest of Manxmen, sadly reached a point in his life where he felt it was his final chapter, culminating in taking his own life on the 13th November 2024, the darkest of days for all Stephens family, friends and colleagues.
We introduce to you "The Long Hall" - a 212km memorial Charity ride looking to raise much needed funds and awareness for the Charities helping Men's mental health in general, and some specifically helping colleagues past and present in the Emergency services.
Not just a ride, but the start of sustained push to break down the walls of silence, to get men talking, to stop the growing trend of life loss, over life loved.
The page, and the ride we are about to embark on is the start of a legacy in Stephens name to change the tide for anyone feeling like this, a page and an event to raise to the ground the walls of silence, the stigmas, and a statement that you are never alone, that all is not lost, but most of all that people, so many people, do care about you, and want to be there in your lowest of times.
The ride explained - starting in Padgate, Warrington, the site of the now redeveloped Bruche Police College, where a small band of local men came together to train for the Police, Stephen being one of those.
Setting off at Sunrise on Monday 16th June, (Stephens Birthday), from the aptly named "Sergeants Drive", the location of the old Main building of the College, the riders will follow a path northward via Wigan, Preston, and Lancaster before arriving at Heysham Port for the afternoon sailing to Douglas, a leg of 98km.
Joining the ride for parts of the way are members of the Police forces that trained at Bruche, to give morale support, Officers from Cheshire, GMP, Merseyside, South Yorkshire and Lancashire Police.
Onboard the Manxman, with kind thanks to the Isle of Man Steam Packet, JWCoaching and other local businesses, the riders will carry on clocking up a further 85km, until they reach Douglas Harbour.
The final leg, upon disembarkation, follows the TT Course to Ballaugh, the final resting place of their dear friend Stephen, a leg totalling 29km, and bringing the overall to 212km in one day.
Please, please, please pin this to the top of your feeds, share to all, shout to anyone that will listen, and raise as much as we can to donate to the attached charities so they can carry on their work and make a difference, which will help save the lives of so many in need.
Many thanks for your time,
Stephens pals, Dazza and Ady