Celebrities join cycling challenge for suicide prevention awareness
Celebrities including Mr Motivator, whose real name is Derrick Evans MBE, model Alexina Graham, artist and author Stuart Semple, LBC presenter Natasha Devon MBE, and more are taking part in a national cycling challenge to raise mental health awareness.
The campaign #BreakTheCycle, launched by leading British e-bike brand VOLT and mental health charity Beder, aims to remember the 5,284 people who sadly died by suicide in England last year.
In conjunction with World Suicide Prevention Day, the participating celebrities are challenging the public to cycle 5.284km with the goal of hitting 52,840km in total by 10 September.
The challenge was kicked off by Semple, who passed the torch to Devon. Devon, who is also a dedicated mental health campaigner, completed the challenge earlier this month. This week, TV star Mr Motivator will be taking on the 5.284km cycle.
He tells Yahoo UK: "It’s important to maintain good physical, mental, and emotional health as you progress through life. Cycling can play a great role in helping people keep active as they get older, and there’s the added bonus of mental health benefits too.
"It’s great to see VOLT supporting Beder to help build more positive, supportive communities in the UK and I’m excited to play my part in supporting this important cause. Let's see how far we can cycle! #SayYeah"
Other popular faces set to take part in the challenge include online fitness gurus Jake Williamson and Alex Crockford, anxiety therapist Joshua Fletcher, and viral sensation Travis and Sigrid, the cyclist and cat duo known for riding all throughout London.
Participants will also share their own mental health experiences with their followers as part of the challenge and to encourage other members of the public to get involved.
You can take part in the #BreakTheCycle challenge by logging your ride on the campaign’s custom Strava page and promote it on your social media page with the hashtag #BreakTheCycle.
James Metcalfe, managing director and co-founder of VOLT, said: "Mental health struggles are one of the biggest issues facing society today, and with cycling scientifically proven to help, we’re excited to continue our work with Beder and get the important message out further with this new challenge.
"We want to drive positive action across the UK, raise awareness about these vital issues, get more people active, and show them you can have fun while doing it! I hope everyone in the UK can join us and help #BreakTheCycle around mental health."
Razzak Mirjan, founder of Beder, added: "I started this charity in 2017 in memory of my brother Beder who made the tragic decision to take his own life at just 18 years old. Seven years later, it is heartening to see so many famous names take the time out of their busy schedule to help raise awareness about mental health.
"This support is crucial in helping people receive the help and support they need. The VOLT team has matched our enthusiasm for normalising the conversation around mental health and we can’t wait to see how many miles we can rack up!"
World Suicide Prevention Day falls on Tuesday 10 September 2024 and aims to raise awareness about how we can prevent suicide and support those struggling with suicidal thoughts. According to the Samaritans, only 45% of people feel comfortable talking to family and friends about suicidal thoughts, compared to 74% who said they feel comfortable talking about mental health.
Read more about mental health:
Bipolar made me suicidal but now I’ve completely rebuilt my life (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)
How ADHD affects mental health, as Ben Fogle opens up about diagnosis (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
'I retired from football at 25—I was lonely and isolated, my mental health was suffering' (Yahoo Life UK, 9-min read)
