A free Men’s Mental Health ride will roll through Geelong this weekend to encourage people to speak out when they need help.
Complete Health Geelong’s Mental Health Militia provides support to people struggling with mental health, with the group hosting the annual ride on Sunday, November 17.
The ride will begin at Werribee’s Highway Lounge at 10am and stop in Geelong at 11am before heading to the Meredith Hotel for a free barbecue, live music and car and bike show.
Mental Health Militia founder Troy Koerntjes said more than 1000 motorcycles were expected to participate in the event for its third year and that many mental health supports would be available.
“Being right in a big pack is always good fun and, when it’s all done and there’s two lines of bikes all parked, that looks cool,” he said.
“We get messages sometimes saying that if it wasn’t for that ride on that day, somebody might have done something that they would have regretted, as it gave them somewhere to go.
“All the money raised goes to supporting those people to get help. We get people coming through our door at times asking for help and if they walk back out that door, you never see them again.”
Mental Health Militia member Aiden Benson said the mental health ride was open to everyone, regardless of gender, and encouraged anyone struggling to reach out.
“I like the yes man mentality, so just say yes to anything and everything that’s healthy and we’re trying to create a community for people to come engage with,” he said.
