He undertook this walk for the first time in 2021, and has since published a book about his experiences and the people he met along the way.
‘It’s all about raising awareness about the charity, as well as fundraising,’ he said.
‘I think it’s really valuable for people to know about the Samaritans and what they do.’
The charity provides emotional support to anyone in distress, including those at risk of suicide, through its 24-hour helpline, online chat service, or in-person meetings.
‘Always, but I think especially now, people are struggling,’ Mr Matthews said.
‘There’s a lot going on in the world, and financially people are getting more stretched. The good thing about the Samaritans is that we’re there to listen 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If people can talk about their problems, it can help them from getting too desperate.
‘There is more work to be done. 7,491 people took their own life in 2023. That’s why I am repeating the Listening Walk.’
The Samaritans runs more than 200 branches across the UK and Ireland, all of which will be visited by Mr Matthews on his trek, which he started in September. He is due to finish the walk in October, and marked his halfway point in the island yesterday. He is walking on his own and is totally unaided, camping along the way and carrying all his own equipment.
He has now been volunteering for the Samaritans for some 16 years.
‘I first heard about the Samaritans in my twenties because my friend was volunteering for them,’ he said. ‘I was interested in volunteering years before I did, but you have to be at the right time of your life.’
Mr Matthews was further encouraged to volunteer after his grandfather, who was living in a care home at the time, attempted suicide.
‘That was my first experience with suicide or self-harm, because people didn’t really used to talk about it like they do now,’ he said.
‘It brought me to thinking more about volunteering.’
Samaritans is an entirely volunteer-run charity, from management levels down to helpline listeners.
‘Every branch is always looking for new volunteers,’ Mr Matthews said. ‘The more people who volunteer, the more people we can help.’
Mr Matthews is also using his walk to fundraise for the charity, having raised some £30,000 during his first trek back in 2021.
He accepts donations through his website, www.thelisteningwalk.com, where people can choose either to donate directly to the charity, or to him via giving page ‘Buy Me A Coffee’, in order to help assist with his trip expenses.
‘One of the best bits of the walk is chatting to all the different people you meet along the way,’ he said.
‘I’ve had such a great time in Guernsey – the branch here has been so welcoming.’
In the 2025 King’s New Years Honours list Mr Matthews was awarded an MBE.
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