People all over Waterford City & County are being encouraged to get on their bike for mental health and suicide awareness this Easter Sunday, April 17th.

Buoyed by support from both his family and the local community in the Comeragh area, local Fine Gael Councillor Liam Brazil has organised a fundraising cycle in mid-Waterford every year since 2015, with this year’s Cycle for SOS being the seventh year since its inception.

The Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Cycle in aid of Suicide or Survive (SOS), usually takes place every Easter Sunday in Lemybrien, but was curtailed to a virtual event in recent times on account of Covid-19.

Cllr. Brazil has long been an advocate for mental health and has made many speeches over the past few years regarding the importance of speaking out and talking openly about mental health and suicide. He has consistently noted the impact which suicide has had upon families, friends and the wider community. Brazil speaks from first hand experience, having lost his brother James over thirty years ago.

Speaking to Damien Tiernan on Deise Today, Cllr. Brazil said that if what's being undertaken can urge one person not to take their own life, then the ultimate goal has been achieved.

"I know we can't help everyone affected by their mental health and I'm not naive enough to think that I can - but if we can help so many people and one person is saved from suicide, then that is my ultimate goal."

This year, people have the option of either a 30km or a 50km cycle. Beginning in Lemybrien, it encompasses a loop with Kilmacthomas, Kilmeaden, Kill, Bonmahon and Durrow along the way.

To register, people can go to https://tinyurl.com/WaterfordCycle22 or contact Liam Brazil on (087) 211 9203.