East Lothian football fan to miss Scotland Euro matches locked in ‘dark cell’

An East Lothian football fan is set to spend seven days completely alone in total darkness, and it’s all for a good cause.

Steve Davie, 51, will take on the challenge from June 13 as many flock to Germany for the Euro 24 kick off. He will be holed up in a 10-metre square room, with only the bare essentials.

The nation’s first two group matches against Germany next Friday and Switzerland the following Wednesday will be the first major Scotland football matches Stevie has missed in years, having been a regular at big games both home and away. When he can’t make it in person, he is usually “glued to the TV”.

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Steve, from Port Seton, is raising funds for Enter Holistic Healing – a mental health charity set up my himself and five friends who have all “had their own struggles”. They’re now looking to give something back, through approaches like sound healing, breath work and meditation.

Steve said: “I have had my own share of darkness in relation to my mental health, and I believe I’ll be able to take on this challenge because of the tools I’ve learned over the last few years to support my own wellbeing, and to overcome many of my demons.

“By entering this seven-day darkness – the longest time I’ve ever spent alone – I hope to raise funds and awareness to support others struggling with their mental health and help reassure them that there is light out there for them too. But I believe all of us have to learn to understand and love our own darkness in order to fully experience the light.”

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In Steve’s room, which is within the Gut Saunstorf Monastery in Germany, he’ll have a bathroom and shower, a bed, an armchair, wardrobe and meditation cushions. He’ll receive two meals a day, along with a supply of fruit and nuts.

Steve, along with the others taking part in the challenge, will also have the option to have a short talk each with a retreat counsellor.

He continued: “It will be hard to miss Scotland’s Euro openers but the sacrifice will be worth it if I can make a difference for others through this challenge, and I’ll be out in time for the third group game, hopefully to hear we’ve won the first two!”

Steve has been alcohol-free for 18 months and says he plans to spend the seven days of isolation doing yoga, meditation and contemplating. Over the past four years, he’s been taking time off work due to stress and anxiety.

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He found practices such as breath work, meditation and journaling have helped him with his struggles. Happily, his self-imposed exile will be lifted in time for Scotland’s final group game on Friday, June 23, against Hungary.

The money raised through the challenge will help fund Enter Holistic Healing’s first pilot scheme, which would take ten people dealing with stress and anxiety through a holistic health and education course.

You can support Steve with his challenge here.