WEXFORD’S DARKNESS INTO LIGHT WALK RAISES WHOPPING €52,000
THE Darkness into Light walk in Wexford town raised an amazing €52,699.71 which the organisers have presented to the suicide and self-harm charity Pieta House.
Over 2,000 people completed the 5km walk which set off from St. Joseph’s Community Centre in Bishopswater at 4.15 a.m. on May 12 and their registration fees helped to make up the final fundraising total. It was the second Darkness into Light event held in the town with last year’s walk/ run raising €45,000.
The chief organiser was local man Liam McCabe who was delighted to hand over the cheque to Pieta House manager Sally Griffiths.
Liam thanked everyone who provided assistance on the day including members of the Scouts, Girl Guides, Wexford MarineWatch, Rosslare Coastguard, Order of Malta, An Garda Síochana and Lee Hynes.
The amount raised was made up of registration fees and donations. ‘No one expected to raise such a figure in only the second year running,’ said Liam.
‘The level of interest shown in the walk probably reflects how widespread suicide and mental health difficulties have become and how many families are affected by them,’ he said.
Pieta House provides bereavement counselling as well as suicide and self-harm prevention support free of charge from its centre in Francis Street, Wexford.
This was the 10th anniversary of the walk with over 200,000 people taking part in approximately 170 locations in Ireland and around the world.
Liam said he wanted to extend a warm thanks to the people of Wexford town and district who braved the early start and contributed so generously to such a worthy cause and all those who helped in any way to make it a success.
Plans are already being put in place by the committee for the 2019 walk/run for Darkness into Light. ‘Thanks to everyone who took part this year and we hope to see you all again next year,’ said MarineWatch volunteer Liam.