Clontarf walk supports mental health campaign

A SPORTING event is being held in Clontarf this weekend in support of a mental health campaign.

On Sunday, May 18, the seafront at Clontarf will provide the backdrop to a very special 5k, Stamp Out Stigma walk.

The event, one of a number being held as part of this year’s Green Ribbon campaign, has been organised by See Change and the Dublin Bay Running Club and will be opened by Senator Averil Power (FF).

This 5k walk is free to enter, open to all ages and abilities and starts at the Wind Monument, Alfie Byrne Road at 12noon.

Spearheading the Stamp out Stigma walk is local Bayside resident and East Wall native, Gary Seery.

As a member of Dublin Bay Running Club and active ambassador for the See Change campaign, Gary will use this event to demonstrate the benefits of using exercise for your mental health.

The Green Ribbon campaign is a social movement to encourage a national conversation about mental health, It is led by 90 partner organisations, hundreds of volunteers and an unprecedented 50 campaign ambassadors with real-life experience of mental health problems ready to share their own stories to help others and end stigma.

John Saunders, director of See Change, said:

“You don’t have to be an expert to start talking about mental health and wearing the Green Ribbon is a simple way of standing up to the silence that breeds stigma.

“It is inspiring to see more than 50 ambassadors coming forward to openly talk about their own experiences of mental health problems to show that anyone can go through a tough time and recovery is possible.

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A total of 300,000 green ribbons will be distributed free of charge and nationwide at Irish Rail stations, Citizens’ Information centres and MABS offices during May.

Last Saturday (May 10), the National Sports Campus at Abbotstown hosted a Green Ribbon Soccer Tournament.

For further information on the campaign, visit www.greenribbon.ie