Charlie Bird will lead a special Hand of Friendship Walk for the Samaritans in Co Wicklow next month.
The veteran broadcaster will take part in a 5km walk through Avondale Forest Park in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, with Samaritans volunteers and supporters on Sunday, April 16th at 11am.
The Charlie Bird Hand of Friendship Walk with Samaritans is being supported by Coillte, which will open Avondale Forest Park and several Coillte sites across the country for 5km and 1km walks.
Members of the public who cannot travel to Wicklow can "walk in solidarity with Charlie" in any of Coillte’s forest walks, or with Samaritans volunteers in Lough Key Forest Park, Co Roscommon, Curraghbinny Woods, Co Cork*, and at Ard na Gaoithe, Co Galway.
For information on the walk and sites across the country, to register or to make donation, visit www.charlieswalkoffriendship.com
Charlie said he is determined to continue to extend his hand of friendship to others over the coming months and supporting charities and organisations, including Samaritans.
Charlie said: “Samaritans is a cause close to my heart, with its volunteers across the country extend the hand of friendship to others 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That is why I am holding a Hand of Friendship Walk in support of Samaritans this April.
“I am urging everyone to come out and support me at Avondale or at one of the many Coillte parks being made available on the day and spread the message that one of the most powerful things we can do is extend the hand of friendship to others.
“I want to ask everyone to keep extending the hand of friendship to others and be there when someone close to you needs support or a helping hand. I also want to raise awareness of the work Samaritans do and urge everyone to join us, register or donate on charlieswalkoffriendship.com.”
The event will take place just over a year after Charlie’s successful Climb with Charlie to the peak of Croagh Patrick.
"Samaritans vision is that fewer people die by suicide. It is the only charity in Ireland offering emotional support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to anyone who is in distress, lonely, struggling to cope or feeling suicidal, on freephone 116 123 or email us at jo@samaritans.ie."
Mark Kennedy, assistant director of Samaritans Ireland, said: “Charlie Bird has been an amazing supporter of Samaritans in recent months and we are thrilled that Charlie, his wife Claire and of course their dog Tiger are leading this Hand of Friendship Walk in support of Samaritans.
“These are difficult times for many people and our volunteers in branches across the country are there for people during their darkest times 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on freephone 116 123. We urge anyone in despair to reach out.
“We are also calling on everyone to support Charlie’s walk on April 16th by joining us in Avondale Forest Park, walking with volunteers at another designated site or Coillte site, making a donation at www.charlieswalkoffriendship.com, or by considering volunteering with their local branch of Samaritans.”
Coillte will have 5km walking routes mapped out at most sites, as well as shorter and flatter 1km walks which will be suitable for prams and wheelchair users.
*The venue for the Cork walk was changed and is, as reported here, Curraghbinny Woods.
