Anthony on the road to raise awareness of depression.
Managing Director, Anthony Merlin set off with the Sydney riders on the 30th November for this year’s Black Dog Ride to Tasmania.
The 70 Sydney bikers headed for Canberra where they joined the rest of the bikes and embarked on the 1600 km ride to Hobart. This year the 300 strong group are fundraising to provide emergency workers with mental health first aid training, so these heroes can identify and respond appropriately to a colleague in crisis, keeping them safe from harm.
Everyone has a different reason for riding.
Each night many of the riders share their stories and experiences with depression, mental health and suicide. I initially got involved for a bit of fun and to help raise awareness of mental health issues and to get people talking about it and reduce the stigma.
As we travel through rural areas, which are often hardest hit with high suicide rates, we have great conversations with locals and tourists. Something as simple as strapping Winston (the Black Dog mascot) to the bike is enough to get people asking questions and start a conversation. The reaction is almost always ‘That’s fantastic, you guys are doing a great job’.
Anthony has raised over $6200 for this year’s Black Dog ride. Thank you to everyone who has supported him on the ride.
Donations can be made: https://blackdogride.giveeasy.org/campaigns/i2c-anthony-merlin/
