100km in 24 hours: two postmen take on gruelling canal walk challenge across Central Belt for men's mental health
They're raising money for the charity Andy's Man Club
Last updated 3rd Jul 2025
Two postmen are taking on a gruelling canal walk to get more men talking about mental health.
Kamil Zieba and Taisonas Butnorius, both 32, are attempting to walk 100 kilometres in 24 hours along the Clyde and Forth and Union canals.
The pair, who have been friends for over a decade, are aiming to raise money for Andy’s Man Club, a charity operating across the UK which provides peer-to-peer support groups for men to open up.
They set off from the canal’s west end at Bowling Basin at midnight on Thursday, and will finish at Lochrin Basin, where the Union Canal ends in the centre of Edinburgh.
Kamil, who lives in Oxgangs, said “we’re trying to encourage men to talk a little bit more. We’re trying to remove the stigma.
“At the end of the day, we're all human, and there's always somebody out there who will listen.
“It's mainly men we work with, and it's very noticeable that men don't like to talk, especially if it's something that will put them in a vulnerable position.
“I think most people have had some type of struggles. I'm fortunate to be a person with a great circle of support myself.
“I have struggled in the past. But I wasn't alone. And I can only imagine how hard it would be for the person to go through whatever it is they're going through alone.
“So that's where the whole idea of talking, just speaking up, and getting help if it's needed comes to play. Because we're not meant to do anything alone, especially when you're struggling.”
He added: "We've done similar things before. We walked from Chamonix in France to the highest campsite in Europe, Camping Arolla which is in Switzerland. That wasn't a continuous walk. That took us a week.
"We found that it's all about the calories, really.
"If you keep eating, you find it to be okay-ish. But we'll see. We do expect there's going to be a lot of crashing along the way.
"But, yeah, for us, it's our idea of fun, believe it or not!"
Andy's Man Club are a men’s suicide prevention charity, who offer free support groups across the United Kingdom and online.
You can donate here.