Bradford's Mukhtar Rehman Launches Healing Walks for Grieving Men

In a poignant initiative aimed at aiding men dealing with grief, Mukhtar Rehman, a 38-year-old hair stylist and community worker from Bradford, is launching a series of healing walks in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales. This initiative comes in the wake of his father's passing during the COVID-19 pandemic, an event that profoundly affected Rehman and catalyzed his journey towards emotional recovery.

Rehman held his father, Abdul Rehman, in his arms as he passed away, a moment that left him grappling with severe emotional turmoil and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As the only son in his family, he felt an overwhelming responsibility to support his mother and five sisters, further complicating his own grief. Rehman recalls, "After the burial, I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep; I had continuous memories of him passing. I still carried on and I blocked it out for a year."

Despite the personal struggle, Rehman recognized a broader issue within his community: men from ethnic minority backgrounds often find it challenging to access formal mental health services. According to research published in the British Journal of General Practice in 2023, South Asian men in the UK are more likely to experience mental health issues, yet they are less likely to pursue talking therapies. The study highlights the necessity for culturally sensitive, community-led approaches to mental health support.

To combat this stigma and provide a supportive environment for grieving men, Rehman is organizing walking groups that include mindfulness sessions and moments for quiet reflection. The initiative is supported by a bursary from the Yorkshire Dales Community Champion scheme, allowing him to facilitate these group activities. Rehman hopes that through these walks, men can connect with nature and each other, fostering open conversations about grief and loss. He states, "The whole idea is to get men talking to other men, getting out into the countryside. It’s not about fixing grief – it’s about facing it together."

This effort extends beyond personal healing for Rehman; it is also a tribute to his father’s legacy. He has found solace in community work, a passion he attributes to Abdul Rehman’s influence. As he embarks on this project, he aims to create a space where participants can share their experiences and learn from one another, effectively creating a support network for men navigating similar journeys of grief.

Rehman’s initiative is part of a larger conversation about mental health, particularly the barriers faced by men in expressing their emotions and seeking help. As awareness grows around the significance of community support in mental health, initiatives like Rehman's serve as vital lifelines for those affected by loss. Through this program, he hopes to inspire not only healing but also a change in how grief is perceived and addressed within the community.

As the first walk is set to take place in Malham this Sunday, Rehman encourages participation from those who feel isolated in their grief, urging them to recognize that they do not have to navigate this journey alone. For further information and support, resources are available through organizations such as the BBC’s Action Line, which provides guidance for those dealing with mental health issues and grief.