Eastbourne opticians manager to raise money with colleague in memory of friend

Duncan Cameron, 48, died at his flat in Kuala Lumpar in Malaysia in August 2022.

Operations manager Adam Blackburn and senior optical consultant Olivia Osborne from Bott's Opticians in Grove Road will take part in the Croydon Tough Mudder on September 24 to raise money for ManKind. The pair is hoping to raise £1,000 for the charity.

Mr Blackburn, who is a member of Eastbourne Cricket Club and the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club, said: “He was a bit like me, a 50-year-old bloke who doesn’t believe in talking about his feelings.

“It really opened my eyes to [the fact] that we [men] are useless about talking about stuff.

“A lot of men are not good at it and it is not a good thing.”

Mr Cameron had moved to Malaysia to work in golf marketing but prior to that he lived in Eastbourne from 2000-2015.

The former resident had been described as an ‘integral part’ of Eastbourne Cricket Club.

Mr Blackburn added: “It is something very dear to my heart and if we raise £500 or £1,000 it’s good but if one person goes to talk to them [ManKind] it is a big win because there is a taboo about being a bloke that you have to be strong and that things don’t affect you.

“It is massively important. For a couple of quid if we can save someone’s life it makes a huge different and I think having them there [is important] and with the way they talk to people they are approachable.

“They do a fantastic job there and you don’t feel weak talking to when. You almost feel strong.”

Mankind was set up in 2020 by Eastbourne friends Ian Pickard and Paul Roskilly to help support men who may need mental-health support.

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