‘A bittersweet day’: 3 Dads Walking receive MBEs for suicide prevention work

The Prince of Wales chatted and laughed with the trio after presenting them with their awards
Three bereaved fathers who walked hundreds of miles across the UK to support suicide prevention work have received MBEs on a “bittersweet day” at Windsor Castle.
Mike Palmer, Tim Owen and Andy Airey started 3 Dads Walking in memory of their daughters who took their own lives – 17-year-old Beth Palmer, 19-year-old Emily Owen and Sophie Airey, 29.
Prince William presented the trio with their awards after each was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the King’s Birthday Honours list for “services to the prevention of young suicide.”
Speaking after today’s ceremony, Mr Palmer – from Sale in Greater Manchester – said it was a occasion of “mixed emotions.”
He told ITV News: “It’s a very bittersweet day.
“It’s amazing to be recognised, to get an MBE, because obviously people know what we’re doing: we’re campaigning, we’re raising the money.
“But we’re there because myself, Andy and Tim – we lost our daughters.
“That grief is always there.”
The fathers have raised almost £1.5m for the young suicide prevention charity, Papyrus, through their epic charity walks.
Their first challenge in 2021 saw them cover 300 miles between their homes in Cumbria, Greater Manchester and Norfolk.
They doubled that distance, the following year, walking 600 miles on a trek to the parliaments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.
And they completed a 500-mile walk from Stirling to Norwich in May this year.
As well as fundraising, they are trying to get suicide prevention on to the school curriculum and have raised the issue with both Government and opposition leaders.
In the castle grounds, Mr Airey – who is from the Eden Valley in Cumbria – revealed he felt “very proud” their work had been “recognised” and that he believed Sophie would be proud of him and his fellow walking Dads.
“She’d be gobsmacked, actually, that we’re standing here today,” he said.
“She would be very, very proud.
“But she would take the mickey out of us standing in suits and dressed like this, rather than in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.”
Mr Owen, from Shouldham in Norfolk, described the day as “emotional” and one where each of their daughters had been in their thoughts constantly.
He said: “When we set off, three years ago, at no point did we ever think would be here at Windsor Castle receiving MBEs from the future King.
“It was an incredibly emotional day and at the back of our minds was our three daughters at all times.
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Beth, Emily and Sophie and the fact that we got together.
“And the reason we got together was through our surviving kids as well. So our kids have played a massive part in us as being here.”
Should suicide prevention be taught in schools? We ask the question in our podcast, From the North