‘I’m Alright… But I Ain’t OK’, a 24-Hour Bag challenge to support men’s mental health

“Life’s hard. No one ever said it was easy,” said Jamie Burnett, an organiser behind an endurance event being held in Ocean Village on International Men’s Day.

The event will take place from 1pm on November 18 to 1pm on November 19, and participants will take turns carrying weighted bags, either 30kg, 25kg, or 10kg for a full 24 hours, symbolising the burdens many men carry silently every day.

“Many of us, myself included, are hard-wired with a kind of stoicism towards life’s burdens,” Mr Burnett told the Chronicle.

“Life gets on top, but we say, ‘I got this,’ or ‘It is what it is.’ But it seems we don’t all ‘got’ this.”

It was this reflection and the awareness of the struggles many men face in silence that led to the creation of the 24-Hour Bag Challenge, which will raise awareness and funds for Men in Need Gibraltar (MING), a local charity supporting men’s mental health.

“Men in our lives and communities are getting wounded by the trials we face, and we’re losing fathers, sons, and brothers by the minute, literally,” Mr Burnett said.

“I’m not sure what the solution is but, dude, speak to me or someone. With that mindset, I wanted to raise the issue and so the 24-hour Bag Challenge was born.”

The challenge, sponsored and organised by Gibraltar-based Lottoland, is open to everyone, regardless of age or fitness level.

Those interested in taking part can register by contacting charity@lottoland.com or through @LottolandGibraltar on social media.

There is no set fundraising target, but organisers hope to raise as much as possible to support Men in Need Gibraltar and its outreach programmes within the community.

Donations will be made online through the Men in Need Gibraltar website, with an official link to be confirmed shortly.

Throughout the 24 hours, there will be moments of entertainment and storytelling shared by participants.

A raffle draw will take place during the final hour of the event on November 19.

The event’s tagline, I’m Alright… But I Ain’t OK — Share the burden for Men’s Mental Health, aims to remind men that it’s okay to speak up and seek support.