Raising awareness about the Black Dog of depression

Sean Hefferon
BLACK Dog Ride’s mascot is “Winston” named after none other than Sir Winston Churchill who wrote about being hounded by the “black dog of depression”.

Winston saddles up on a motorbike (or at least the handlebars) on the third Sunday of March each year for the Black Dog Ride Australia “1 Dayer” that sees motor bike
rides in every state and territory across the country.

And so it was that another successful Avon Valley Black Dog Ride was completed last
month when over 70 motor bikers rolled up to the Toodyay Hotel after a 130km bike ride
full of twists and turns from Kalamunda.

The Avon Valley event which is one of many that on that single day in March has the aim of driving awareness about depression and suicide prevention.

It is a national tragedy that suicide is a leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 49 years.

With eight people ending their life each day, that’s one person every three hours.

For Wes Sutton, Avon Valley Black Dog Ride coordinator, the 1 Dayer is a cause close to his heart as his son struggles with depression and he lost a cousin to suicide.

Funds raised from the One Dayer will help contribute to the Black Dog Ride Australia Community Grants program, which is focused on supporting initiatives that help people who suffer from mental illness, help prevent suicide, and raise awareness of both
mental health and suicide prevention.

Local schools, clubs, community groups and individuals can also raise awareness
of depression and suicide prevention and support the vital work of Black Dog Ride
by organising local fundraising activities.

For more information about Black Dog Ride Australia and how you can get involved to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention goto: blackdogride.org.au