Local organisers of a motorcycle ride raising funds and awareness for grassroots mental health and suicide prevention have urged the Geelong community to get behind the event.
Australian mental health charity Black Dog Ride, established in 2009, will hold its Geelong One Dayer this Sunday, with riders departing from the Geelong Showgrounds for a day-long tour of the region.
The ride will finish at the Anakie Reserve, where riders and supporters will enjoy food, raffles and time to connect and support each other.
Geelong Black Dog Ride coordinator Marie ‘Gremlin’ Grima, who has attended the event since 2019, said the ride always had a lot of support from the community, with new faces appearing every year.
She urged people to get out and cheer on the riders, donate or register to ride themselves.
“Mental health challenges don’t discriminate by postcode, but, unfortunately, access to support often does,” she said.
“The last week before the One Dayer is when support from the wider community really makes a difference. By supporting the Black Dog Ride One Dayer, the local community is directly helping to close that gap and start conversations that can, and has genuinely saved lives.
“Every donation, every message of encouragement and every person who turns up on the day helps us fund practical, local mental health support.
“This ride is about reminding people that they’re not alone and making sure help exists close to home when it’s needed most.”
Black Dog Ride’s Geelong One Dayer is at Geelong Showgrounds from 9.30am on Sunday 15 March. Visit blackdogride.org.au to register or for more information.
