Eight amateur hikers are taking on ‘The Seven Sisters’ 20km challenge this weekend to raise funds for youth mental health in Donegal.
The challenge, taking place this Saturday, will traverse seven peaks in the Derryveagh Mountains, with over 1600m of ascent and 1700m of descent along the way.
Six of the hikers are from two families: Ciaran, Aisling and Shane McLoone plus Conor, Shane and Jill Kennedy. Christopher Britton and Adrian McFadden make up the team of eight and all of them are passionate about youth mental health services in Co. Donegal. The eight volunteers are in their own words ‘amateur hikers’ but they are taking a professional guide with them to help them safely navigate the challenge.
All funds raised from this challenge will go towards funding Mind your Melon, a youth mental health campaign created by Connect Mental Health.
Mind Your Melon aims to reach 13,000 young people in 27 secondary schools across Donegal. Connect Mental Health is a community mental health organisation promoting positive mental health in Donegal.
Mind your Melon has been developed in partnership with Jigsaw Donegal and Foróige Donegal. Mind your Melon will promote positive mental health & well-being and signposting of key services to young people through a programme of events, workshops, activities and interactive online content. One of the hikers Ciaran McLoone is a founder member of Connect Mental Health and says that the Mind your Melon programme has a number of key aims:
– Promotes positive mental health
– Improves young people’s understanding of mental health and well-being, and associated protective and risk factors
– Increases awareness of youth mental health supports and services and how to access them
– Explores stigmatising attitudes to mental health
Ciaran says that all donations will be greatly appreciated and that donations can be made via their gofundme page: https://gofund.me/e06a1248
