Cycle Against Suicide: Kilkenny householders urged to lend a room to help mental health charity drive
KILKENNY householders are being urged to make their homes available for just one night 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.
Local organiser Patsi Lynch said the feedback from Homestay hosts has been extremely positive. And she said the experience is extremely rewarding 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 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
