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A recent fundraising Camino walk for Newry based charity PIPS Hope and Support raised an impressive £33,826.46 after costs to support the essential services of PIPS Hope and Support.
The 'PIPS Hope and Support: The Portuguese Way of the Camino Walk.' saw 24 individuals embark on a transformative journey,
The Portuguese Way of the Camino, renowned as an ancient pilgrimage route, was transformed into a path of hope and support as participants embarked on an extraordinary venture spanning over several days. Each step taken symbolized the collective effort in raising awareness for the prevention of suicide and combating the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
The determined walkers, equipped with their unwavering commitment to championing the cause of PIPS Hope and Support, fervently strived to raise awareness and much-needed funds for PIPS. Their incredible fundraising feat ensures that PIPS will continue to provide invaluable support to individuals experiencing emotional distress and thoughts of suicide.
Speaking at the presentation evening held at The Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Padraig Harte, the fundraising, marketing, and communications manager, expressed his gratitude to the participants for their unwavering dedication and passion. "We take immense pride in every participant who embarked on this inspiring journey to raise funds for PIPS Hope and Support. Many of this year’s walkers also participated in last year’s event and we are delighted that yet again, they chose to take on this 5-day walk to raise awareness and funds for our charity, which will make a lasting and significant impact on those who reach out and benefit from our charities services."
Padraig continued “We express our eternal gratitude to the 24 individuals consisting of Caroline Anderson, Clare Elliot, Eimear Gill, Catherine McMahon, Martin Bailie, Tania Bailie, Mickey Linden, Louisa Linden, Patricia Nutley, Siobhan Brennan , Margaret McShane, Heather Wilson, Diarmuid Rankin, Gerard O'Reilly, Kerrie Patterson, Claudine Coyle, Eddie Drury, Nuala Murphy, Maria Ferguson, Ruairi O'Neill, Jack Murphy, Fiona Deuchar, Jim Sheridan and Jacqui Connolly who embarked on this remarkable journey. Their contributions to our charity are beyond measure. Not only have they forged lasting friendships, but their solidarity while covering over 115 kilometers each is truly inspiring. We extend our heartfelt wishes for their continued success and eagerly anticipate the participation of several of them in our Camino Costa event in 2024.”
Louisa Linden, participant of this year’s Camino spoke of her delight of taking part and the amount of funds raised to support the charities services, “PIPS Hope and Support is a great charity, and we all know that it does great work in the community. Participating in this year’s walk and raising such a fantastic amount is amazing. Walking the Camino is a very positive experience and enjoyable way of helping the charity. Without a doubt, what I enjoyed most about the experience is, the people we shared it with, each with their own stories you meet the most tremendous people.”
When asked about her thoughts on joining a Camino initiative, Louisa responded by saying: “I would tell them to absolutely go for it, it is the best experience that you will get, the people you meet are wonderful, all doing their best to raise funds for charity, you will not regret it.”
PIPS Hope and Support, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting individuals with suicidal thoughts, high levels of anxiety, poor mental health or bereaved by suicide.
PIPS Hope and Support is currently seeking participants to join their Camino Costa event, scheduled to take place from Saturday, September 28th to Saturday, October 5th, 2024. An informative session will be held on Wednesday, November 15th at 7:00pm at their offices located at 50 Mill Street, Newry. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the itinerary and fundraising details. For further information, please visit our website at www.pipshopeandsupport.org.
