South West mental health organisation Lamp Inc has received a boost in funding from some generous men.
The group of Collie men who do not have a collective name have been fundraising all year and provided $10,000 to the Black Dog Ride to then pass onto Lamp Inc.
Black Dog Ride acting chair of one day ride event John Lewin said their organisation focus its fundraising efforts to mental health initiatives, especially local ones like Lamp.
"People like me we don't much about it [mental health issues], but we are aware of the situation and trying to do something to help," he said.
While the Black Dog Ride has evolved over its life, the partnership with Lamp has been constant.
"Lamp is special to us because when we first started 11 years ago we were called 'black dog ride for Lamp' and they have helped us to function," Mr Lewin said.
Mr Lewin said this donation was particularly heartwarming as the men were not in a structured group.
"The group of men went out of their way to fundraise for suicide prevention," he said.
He said it was also a surprise to see such a large donation come from a town that was struggling. Lamp Inc area manager Nicole Slevec said they were grateful for the hard work of Black Dog Ride and the partnership they have been able to have over the years.
The group of men went out of their way to fundraise for suicide prevention
- Black Dog Ride John Lewin
"Any funds donated to us goes straight to service provisions," she said.
"Most of this donation will go into our youth and family program."
Lamp's youth program includes a mobile bus which travels around the region providing awareness education but also an avenue for people to reach out.
"It gives them [youth] access to help without going through a formal pathway," Ms Slevec said.
With the pandemic hampering most people's efforts for a normal year, Ms Slevec said donations to Lamp did see a slump. However she said this donation would help put the organisation back on track to what it normally received. Travel restrictions stopped the Black Dog Ride's cross country long event this year, but it was lucky to do its annual one day event just before lockdown in March.
"We were so lucky, if we held it one more day later we wouldn't have been able to hold it," Mr Lewin said.
If you need to talk, contact Lifeline in 13 11 14.
Jemillah Dawson
I started as a journalist in 2011 and now manage mastheads in the South West of WA. My passion is politics and sport. I believe we are the voice for the community but also we inform the community of what they need to know. Email jemillah.dawson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
I started as a journalist in 2011 and now manage mastheads in the South West of WA. My passion is politics and sport. I believe we are the voice for the community but also we inform the community of what they need to know. Email jemillah.dawson@austcommunitymedia.com.au
