Today’s stage of #TheLariamTab took us 19.5 miles from Maltby to Edwinstowe, a route filled with both history and reflection.
Leaving Maltby, we dropped into the valley through Nor Wood and passed the haunting ruins of Roche Abbey, a once noble and worthy institution that ultimately collapsed when it ignored its moral compass.
A lesson from history, and a reminder of what happens when institutions (like Roche) turn away from truth.
On the way, we carried with us the memory of Ross Burnside (Royal Artillery), who tragically took his own life just west of Maltby, only weeks after his fiancée, Sophia Madden (Royal Artillery), also died by suicide.
Heartbreaking cases like theirs rarely reach the headlines, but they are why we walk these #MilesInMemory, to ensure they are never forgotten.
Today is also #WorldSuicidePreventionDay, and it’s important to recognise those working quietly in the background to shed light on this crisis.
One such person is Jim Wilde, a former British Army Warrant Officer who still looks out for the troops long after his own service ended.
Jim’s painstaking work identifying, validating, and recording the true losses to #MilitarySuicide, is one of the reason hundreds of names are remembered on the Lariam Tab website.
https://lariamtab.com/military-suicides/
Without Jim, and a small network of vigilant, caring veterans like him, the true scale of this tragedy would remain hidden behind denial and silence. He shows a rare moral courage in challenging the official narrative, quietly giving voice to the fallen. His dedication often goes unrecognised, but it is nothing short of heroic. Thank you, Jim.
Despite the wet weather, our spirits were lifted as we reached the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, a symbol of resilience, strength, and deep roots. For us, it marked not only the end of today’s journey but also a milestone: we’ve broken the back of this memorial walk. The path now turns south, and in less than ten days we will be descending into London.
Every mile walked, every name remembered, every truth spoken, this is why we walk.
#TheLariamTab
The Lariam Tab 
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