Former soldier urges veterans to walk the walk and beat blues

FOR the past year, former soldier Marc Hutton has been pulling on his hiking boots every Sunday and encouraging fellow veterans to walk away their troubles.

The 45-year-old from Edinburgh, who spent two decades in the Forces, wanted to do something to help encourage his fellow ex-squaddies to socialise, keep fit and perhaps even chat about their problems among like-minded people.

So the dad-of-three set up the Edinburgh Veterans Walking Group and each weekend they beat a path through hills and tracks, clearing minds and lending an ear to those who need it.

He calls it ‘hill therapy’, and the miles are being converted into smiles. “When you are in the Forces, you are used to everyone being around you, all your pals by your side, but once you leave you don’t have that anymore and months can pass without seeing anyone,” Marc said. “It’s the transition from being in to coming out, it feels like going from hero to zero.

“You are used to having your mates around you, and then no one visits you anymore. For nine out of 10 it’s the loneliness that gets the guys afterwards.

“Once you put the feelers out, you realise you are not the only person who feels like this.”

The Edinburgh Veterans Walking Group began with Marc going for solo walks, taking a camera and posting pictures online of where he had been that day. The more he thought about it, the more he realised others could benefit from this, too, so he began advertising at veterans’ groups around the Edinburgh and Lothians area, as well as spreading the word through social media.

Whether it’s feelings of isolation and loneliness, or someone dealing with post-traumatic stress syndrome or anxiety, Marc hopes the group can lend a hand.

“People try to hide away when they have PTSD, they become recluses, and this is to get people up and off of the couch,” he continued.

“More often than not we walk on the Pentland Hills, where a lot of the guys have trained. But this is different, this is a leisurely walk where people can talk or have some breathing space if they prefer – it’s up to them.”

Marc signed up when he was 22 and spent nearly 19 years in the Army, serving with 1 Scots latterly. He was based in Germany in the early days, and then at various places around Scotland.

“For six months after I left I couldn’t get a job,” he said. “You are either over-qualified or under-qualified and after a while it knocked my confidence.

“I ended up re-enlisting with 6 Scots Army Reserve Infantry, recruiting for them full-time, which I did for three years until I got a job at Edinburgh Airport refuelling the planes. When I was no longer able to work with 6 Scots I looked at what else I could do and came up with the group.”

The veterans taking part vary in age from 20s through to 60s and the group has also started to raise awareness and funds for good causes, such as veterans’ charity Who Dares Wins.

“In August we did a walk to raise awareness of veteran suicides, walking the 66 miles of the Forth and Clyde Canal, and we’ll do that again next year,” Marc said.

“We are also doing the West Highland Way in April and the Lothian Veterans’ Café is looking into securing a minibus, which would allow us to take the initiative to areas throughout Scotland.” Group member Scott Muir served with the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders between 1984 and 1996, and found life tough after returning to Civvy Street.

“I had ended up in Bosnia as part of the peace-keeping deal and within a few weeks I was back in civilian life,” the 52-year-old said. “I couldn’t cope.

“I drank heavily, did drugs, got arrested. I had a nervous breakdown and slit my wrists.”

Scott is in a better place now and works with Diageo, and says keeping busy is the key to improved mental health.

“I joined up with the walking group about six months ago,” he continued. “I was already a hill walker but being with like-minded people is really good.

“We all know how each other feels, which can be hard to explain to a civilian.”