Thousands participate in Darkness into Light walks

Cavan’s Darkness into Light (DIL) walk was a big success last week, raising an estimated €26,000, with some money yet to be counted. 
The event in aid of Pieta House took place all over the world on Saturday May 11, and about 2,000 people walked or ran in Cavan Town alone; while some 1,300 were out for the first such walk in Bailieborough.

The organisers of the Cavan walk have supplied us with this drone footage from the walk.

Spokesperson for the Cavan DIL walk says: "We thank everyone for coming out and walking with us and to our amazing photographers, volunteers, sponsors, An Garda Siochana, the Civil Defence, the Serve with Liberty crew and McBreen Environmental staff and family. Please remember, you are not alone, you are loved and we are here for you."

Over 200,000 people nationwide came together in the pre-dawn hours in 19 countries across five continents to take part in the global movement that seeks to remove the stigma around suicide and self-harm and spread the power of hope in Ireland and around the globe.
Last year, Darkness into Light walkers raised €6 million from the event, of which €800,000 was raised across our international venues. Worldwide close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year - one person every 40 seconds. In Ireland 392 people took their own lives in 2017, according to figures from the National Office for Suicide Prevention.
2019 marked the seventh year Electric Ireland have walked alongside Pieta to bring hope to customers, staff and communities across Ireland that have been affected by suicide.
The funds raised from Darkness into Light help to keep Pieta centers open, offering free therapy, the 24 /7 Helpline line, education and bereavement counselling for people in need of support.  In 2018, over 8,000 clients were supported with face to face therapy by Pieta experts. Since 2006, over 40,000 people received support from our intervention and bereavement counselling services.  By the end of this school year, Pieta will have reached out to over 7,500 students with a bespoke schools’ programme called the Resilience Academy a free programme for second year students in secondary schools designed to increase young people’s resilience, hope for the future, ability to cope with difficult feelings and connection to their school.

If you are in distress, contact Pieta House on 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444.

 

* For pictures from the walks in Cavan and Bailieborough, see this week's Anglo-Celt in shops now.