Over €1,500 raised by trail runners for HOPE mental health service

THE IRISH Mountain Trail Runners raised over €1,500 for Tallaght-based mental health service HOPE [Hold On Pain Eases] after recently undertaking lengthy runs along the Wicklow Way.

Members of the group ran 10k, 22k and 42k distances along the Wicklow Way for their annual club charity event on Saturday, October 7.

Lar Heffernan from the Irish Mountain Trail Runners told The Echo: “We held our annual club event this year in aid of HOPE, a suicide prevention drop-in centre based in Tallaght, to try raise awareness and some much-needed funds to help with the amazing work they do.

“Our members took on trail runs with distances of 10k, 22k and 42k along the Wicklow Way, with a lot of our crew taking on these distances for the first time.

“A lot of these guys had started with us originally on our 4k beginners route in Cruagh Woods, some amazing goals were achieved on the day, and the support and encouragement on the route from family, friends and members was unbelievable.

“Some of the guys who could not run on the day helped out at aid stations or gave lifts where needed and we had Margaret and Ray from HOPE up at the finish line to cheer home our runners.”

The group wanted to thank Glencullen Christmas Tree Farm for the base and parking on the day, Serfac for helping out with teeshirts and Johnnie Foxes for the hospitality after.

Donations are still being accepted at the link on the Irish Mountain Trail Runners Facebook or Instagram pages, and a total of €1,600 had been raised at the time of print.

For further information on the HOPE Suicide Prevention Drop-in Centre in Tallaght  visit their Facebook page. 

The centre can also be contacted by calling 089 6105476.

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