AS journeys go, the one that Wilmslow’s John Junior and faithful pal Charlie have been on in 2020 is one of adventure, challenge and transformation.

Over the past 12 months, John and their large, yellow, support duck teddy has been on a mission to help people with mental health issues like theirs.

From launching petitions and lobbying MPs, to working with mental health charities such as Mind, Time to Change, The Samaritans and PAPYRUS, suicide survivor John has spent the past year telling their story in hope of raising awareness about the need for better mental health support.

They’ve teamed up with celebrities to highlight their campaigning work and found creative outlets for their talents, recording rap tracks and even appearing in a forthcoming feature film. In fact, they’re ending 2020 on a high with an Amazon documentary and numerous high-profile interviews lined up for the year ahead.

But this year has not been without its struggles for John, who speaks openly about their experiences with depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, dissociative identity disorder and panic disorder.

“Lockdown was incredibly hard, and it really impacted my OCD and intrusive thoughts,” said the 31-year-old.

“One the one hand, I was terrified that I was going to catch COVID 19 and die so was cleaning obsessively. But on the other hand, I was planning my suicide.”

During the first lockdown, John says they had planned how they would take their own life, but when watching Hollyoaks were impacted by a storyline about suicide.

“Hollyoaks saved my life during lockdown,” John said. “It was an episode one earlier this year, involving Darren and Nancy in, after Kyle – Darren’s friend and Nancy’s boyfriend - had taken his life.

“Darren said to Nancy, “listen to me, there is no mistake, I found him. I saw him. I would have saved him, but it was too late.” The reason it resonated with me so much was that I was planning suicide during lockdown, but seeing Nancy and Darren so distressed, their hearts clearly broken, it stopped me from continuing to plan.

“It just made me think of my mum and my friends and the impact it would have on them.”

Since that time, John has called upon the Government for better support for services and higher profile signposting to services that help people contemplating suicide.

They've worked with organisations such as The Samaritans, PAPYRUS, and the Zero Suicide Alliance and launched a petition for digital billboards in cities across the UK to promote suicide prevention services.

The experience has also led to John meeting the cast of Hollyoaks via Zoom and was filmed talking with fellow Wilmslow resident Ashley Taylor Dawson who plays Darren in the soap.

“It was overwhelming, but a really good experience,” said John.

While helping others, speaking up has certainly opened doors for John this year, giving them positive creative opportunities.

John and Charlie have linked up with celebrities to promote their campaign such as Tanya Bardsley, Boyzone’s Keith Duffy and Brian McFadden. They’ve been invited to appear on Steph’s Packed Lunch in the New Year, and will also be a featured extra in the upcoming British crime film, Rise of the Foot Soldier.

Knutsford Guardian: John and Charlie with Love Island's Chris Hughes and fellow production members Stuart and Paul on the set of Rise of the Foot Soldiers. John and Charlie with Love Island's Chris Hughes and fellow production members Stuart and Paul on the set of Rise of the Foot Soldiers.

“It’s been a mad year,” said John. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But at the minute it’s all good and I’m just taking things as they come. I’ve started at DBT skills course and being able to talk so openly about my lived experience is really helping.

“This time last year, I didn’t have a cause, but now I do and my mission is to help people like me to get the support they need and to realise that they are not alone.”