Roy Crampton was the local union leader during the 2007 and 2009 postal worker strikes
A local postman has described how he is campaigning to raise awareness about mental health after his life as a union leader during last decade's postal worker strikes drove him to depression.
Postman Roy Crampton has started a campaign where he is planning to run 500 miles in 100 days in an effort to raise awareness about mental health issues, after battling depression for nine years. He says it was triggered by the " extremely stressful" work that he did as a local union leader during the 2007 and 2009 postal worker strikes.
Roy, who was the chapel leader for the Grimsby branch of the Communications Workers Union during the industrial action, said that he began suffering with depression in 2010, and despite the support from his family, friends and co-workers, has found it a constant battle - sometimes spending entire days in bed.
He said that he was "obsessive" about his role as a union leader during the strikes, as he was determined to support his colleagues as much as he possibly could, not realising the effect that it was having on his own wellbeing.
Roy said: "When I was the local chapel leader for the union I was completely obsessed with my work, and was constantly trying to do the best for my colleagues.
"During the postal worker strikes in 2007 and 2009 everything began to really build up on me, as I was sitting up into the early hours of the morning, co-ordinating things with our members and the wider union and trying to make sure that everyone was on the same page.
"The whole ordeal really took it out of me, and I didn't realise the effect that it was having on my own personal wellbeing until it was too late. My father was involved in the miners' strikes, which went on for whole years, and I have no idea how they did it, I struggled to cope managing industrial action for just a few days."
Roy says that due to his depression he has had to take time off work, sometimes spends days on end without getting out of bed and that his relationship with his "beloved" wife has taken a strain, despite her constant support and efforts. He was also admitted to Harrison House as a result of his mental health problems.
He even said that his children began to notice that he was unwell, with his eight year old son approaching him one day asking him why he "could not make daddy happy."
He said: "When you are suffering with depression you just feel worthless, it is like you feel like you do not deserve to be happy. Then when someone is willing to support you and tries to help you, you feel as if you are not worthy of that help, and that they should spend their time trying to help others who are more deserving.
2009 Postal Strike
The 2009 Postal Workers Strike involved The Royal Mail and members of the Communication Workers Union.
Industrial action began in the summer, and did not finish until April 2010.
The first walkouts were staged on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23, which were followed by a second round of walkouts on Thursday, October 29, Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31, after talks between the two parties broke down.
Another walkout was announced for November 6, but postponed while further negotiations take place.
A resolution to the dispute was finally reached following lengthy discussions on March 8, 2010, and on April 27, it was reported that postal workers voted to accept the deal.
"Personally I have had to take time off work and was even admitted to Harrison House as a result of my mental health. The relationship with my beloved wife, who has been by my side the whole way, also came under a lot of strain, because despite what she tried, she was just not able to pick up my spirits.
"There are many days that I would just not get out of bed, wanting to spend the whole day asleep with the curtains closed.
"It got so bad at one point that even my young son began to feel like my depression may have had something to do with him. It still breaks my heart when I remember him coming up to me in bed and asking me why he could not make daddy happy.
"The thing is, when I am out and about doing my postal rounds, people will see me and probably think that I am a happy go-lucky postie, who wears his shorts all year round, but if they knew what I was going through on the inside then they would feel differently."
Roy is now campaigning to raise awareness about mental health conditions by running 500 miles in 100 days, feeling that regular exercise is one of the best ways to help improve your personal wellbeing.
He continued: "I have started my campaign to run 500 miles in 100 days in the hopes of raising awareness about mental health conditions.
"You may look at it and think that it is easy enough to run five miles a day for 100 days, and the actual exercise itself is not difficult. It is maintaining the commitment to run five miles a day for that length of time is the real challenge.
Roy Crampton says that his mission has greatly improved his mental wellbeing (Image: Grimsby Live)
"Since I have started I have already noticed a big improvement within myself, as the endorphins that you get from the exercise make you feel a lot better. Once I have had my run in the morning I know now that I will feel good for the rest of the day.
"I just hope that I will be able to help others speak out about their struggles with mental health, as it is something that affects a huge portion of our community, but often people feel taboo about speaking out."
As part of his campaign Roy has started a Justgiving Page, where he is hoping to raise £1,000 for mental health charity Mind.
To donate to Roy's cause please follow this link . https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/roy-crampton1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;