David Matthews, the 'Listening Walker', is taking on a 6,000-mile walking challenge through Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland, raising vital funds for Samaritans and meeting volunteers.
David Matthews is walking to save lives by taking on the challenge of a 6,000 mile walk around the UK and Ireland visiting Samaritans volunteers to raise vital funds.
David’s Listening Walk began on the 10th September, World Suicide Prevention Day, and has so far taken him from Knoydart to Skye, Stornoway, Orkney, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee, Dunfermline, and arriving in Edinburgh on the 28th October.
David will make his way down to the Borders, before walking through England, Wales, and Ireland and heading back up the west coast of Scotland to Knoydart.
It’s not the first time that David has endeavored on such a challenge, having completed his first Listening Walk in 2019.
The first walk took place either side of lockdown, and was completed in 2021, walking a total of 6,100 miles. In the 2025 Kings New Years Honours list, David was awarded an MBE "for services to Samaritans and to Vulnerable People".
This time around, David is hoping to raise £50k for Samaritans by completing the walk. Donations can be made by visiting his fundraising page.
A dedicated Samaritans volunteer of 16 years, David is also taking volunteering shifts with branches he visits on his way. David said;
“It’s a tough walk, that’s for sure. It’s also coming into the winter which of course brings the challenge of the weather.
“I’ve been a listening volunteer for 16 years, so I know the challenges that I’m experiencing on this walk are minimal compared to what the people who call us are going through.
“This walk is for them, it’s to raise money and awareness so that we can keep helping the people who need us, and be there for them when they need us most.”
With countless stories to tell, memories made, and the sheer determination of taking on such a big task to raise money for suicide prevention, David will be releasing a book documenting the highs and the lows, the stories, and the people who kept him going along the first ever Listening Walk, on 11th November 2025.
You can follow David on his route on X, Instagram, and Facebook by following the @ListeningWalker or through the Listening Walk website.
Volunteers all over Scotland spent 35,400 hours responding to calls for help in 2024, and continue to be there around the clock for anyone who needs a listening ear, helping them believe in tomorrow.
