7: 14 Million Steps, One Incredible Journey with Kit Birks

14 Million steps, one incredible journey with Kit Birks

“I walked 4,989 miles to prevent a suicide”


Solo adventurer and mental health activist Kit Birks is the first person to have walked the entire length of Europe. Doing so, she has raised over £100,000 towards suicide prevention.

I was so excited to welcome Kit into the bath with me. What an incredible human! 

My favourite type of human actually: my people are those who have met the cliff edge, maybe fallen off a few times but learnt to grow wings and fly back to help those who also find themselves on the edge. 

As she shares so openly and with such grace, Kit has had a very human experience of meeting oneself through mental health challenges and addiction, which impacted her entire early life. 

Having met rock bottom, she found her way to climb up the ladder and rediscover herself in a whole new way. Not only that, she turned her story around so much that she ended up on the most incredible, powerful solo adventure: being part of the change towards and support for a better world.

This is clearly her first of many more adventures and I, for one, feel changed by observing her efforts. 

Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people aged 15-29 in Europe. In 2021, it accounted for 18.9% of all deaths in this age group on the continent in 2021, surpassing traffic collisions. Men remain roughly 3.7 times more likely to die by suicide than women, though women report mental health problems at higher rates.

These statistics ask us to not stay silent and to speak out, for ourselves and for others. Kit’s story is proof that every corner can be turned. Every life is precious, every life counts. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, help and support is available. 

Samaritans: 116 123 (free, day or night, 365 days of the year) / https://www.samaritans.org/?currency=EUR 

James’ Place, Help for Suicidal Men: 24/7 Crisis Textline (Text SHOUT to 85258) / https://www.jamesplace.org.uk/ 

Suicide&Co: Available also as an app on Google Play and Apple Store / https://www.suicideandco.org/contact 

Want to listen to more conversations from the bath? Find the podcast, explore more episodes and connect with Beth here:

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If this conversation moved, challenged or inspired you, subscribe and come join us for the next one.

You can find Kit on:
kitbirks.com 
https://www.instagram.com/kitbirks/
https://www.tiktok.com/@kitbirks
https://www.youtube.com/@kitbirks
https://www.facebook.com/kitty.birks
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-birks-a1226834b/ 

You can find Kit’s Burnt Toast poetry collection here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burnt-Toast-Kit-Birks/dp/1835386156/?tag=5812456021-20 

In the episode Beth reveals her book Spanked: Learning to Take One and Enjoy It is coming out in the winter. To find out how and where to order and more exciting news, join our newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/bitinglemons.com/subscribe

Want to learn how to listen and connect with people from all walks of life like Beth does? You might have noticed us mentioning the ART Affiliate link. We highly recommend their training for everyone who wants to improve their communication and understanding of each other. The ART International courses are there to help you nourish your relationships and the world around you. 

It’s easy and accessible, online and in person, across the world. On behalf of this world, thank you for wanting to be better! 

Get a 5% discount on Level 1 ART courses. Use our code BL: 
https://authenticrelating.co/courses/level-1/artpartner/BethHardwick/