'Walking was a great tool to help me get sober'

Jimmy Thistle is now a peer mentor at local charity Motiv8 Addiction Services

A man who overcame an addiction to alcohol that spanned two decades said "walking was a great tool" when he initially took strides to become sober.

Jimmy Thistle, who is now a Peer Mentor at Motiv8 Addiction Services, came up with the idea to hold a walking challenge from the east to the west coast of the Isle of Man to raise awareness overcoming addiction.

Mr Thistle said the event would help those recovering from a dependency to see that "they are not alone" and help them make "human connections" on the journey.

Organised by Motiv8, about 70 people have signed up for the walk along the heritage trail from Douglas to Peel.

Mr Thistle said he started drinking as a teen, and through his 20s, and 30s, he "always had a problem with alcohol".

"Drinking was ruining my life", he said, "I would lose a job, or a relationship went sour but I never wanted to blame the alcohol."

"I would wake up in the morning and the first thing I would think about was where can I get some alcohol."

Jimmy Thistle has been sober for five years

But he said, after moving to the island in 2020 and seeking the help of Motiv8, he had been sober since 2020.

"When I initially got sober walking was a great tool," he said, "it is a great way of clearing your mind and forgetting all the other stuff."

"In the early days of recovery you are trying to find other things to do because if you get bored, your mind starts to wander and that is when you can relapse."

Mr Thistle, who has since set up a gardening business, said he now wanted to help others recovering from a dependency.

The walk along the heritage trail starts at 10:00 from the Quarter Bridge car park in Douglas.

It coincides with International Recovery Month, which has been running for 36 years to promote recovery practices, raise awareness and celebrate individual achievements.

Motiv8, chief executive Thea Ozenturk said the it was "for anyone to show the support to those in recovery" to offer "encouragement and shared journeys".