Cycle Against Suicide: Kilkenny homeowners urged to lend a room for just one night
KILKENNY householders are being urged to make their homes available for just one night next month to a team of charity cyclists who are using their pedal power to drive awareness of mental health issues.
The Homestay Programme is central to the success of the Cycle Against Suicide initiative. Each year, throughout the island, people welcome participants of the event into their homes and provide the cyclists with a warm meal, a chance to freshen up and a bed for the night.
But this year the organisers are experiencing a shortage of available rooms in Kilkenny for the charity cyclists, and they are appealing to local homeowners to lend their support.
Local organiser Patsi Lynch up to 40 beds are still needed to give all of the cyclists a roof over their head when the charity race passes through Kilkenny.
Patsi stressed that the feedback from Homestay hosts has been extremely positive. And she said the experience is a very rewarding one as it allows hosts to lend their support to a very important cause in a tangible way.
Patsi told KilkennyNow.ie: “Using pedal power to promote a conversation about mental health, this annual event is a movement of cyclists of all abilities and backgrounds. Family, friends, work colleagues and total strangers come together to publicly raise awareness throughout towns and communities across Ireland that mental illness is accepted like any other illness and help is real.”
“It is vital that we work together to change the way mental illness is viewed. Let us learn to see the person and not the illness. We encourage all to get involved. Help us empower those who are suffering by promoting our message: ‘It’s OK not to feel OK; and it’s absolutely OK to ask for help’.”
The cyclists (see route below) will arrive in Kilkenny at around 5.30pm on Saturday, May 4, departing at 9.30am the following morning.
*Kilkenny families who would like to support the Homestay Programme can contact the local organiser, Patsi Lynch, by phone on 087 829 6683 or via email at: patsilynch@hotmail.com
