Health News For South West
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
London and District Distress Centre
Clara’s Big Ride Comes to London
Six-time Olympian Clara Hughes will ride into London on March 19 and is featured as a keynote speaker for “Let’s Talk London” at the Western Fair Carousel Room.
Tickets are now on sale for “Let’s Talk London”, a unique community event that will feature 6-time Olympian Clara Hughes as a keynote speaker, with the goals of inviting Londoners to open the conversation and help remove the stigma associated with mental illness. Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk will span 12,000 kilometres over the course of 110 days, beginning in Toronto March 14, 2014 and concluding in Ottawa on Canada Day, July 1.
The London and District Distress Centre is among the 95 Community Champions from local mental health organizations across the country who will host Clara Hughes in their communities.
“We want “Let’s Talk London” to be the best stop on Clara’s ride,” says London and District Distress Centre Executive Director Cheryl Legate. “Every fundraising dollar will stay in London to help create a lasting mental health legacy.”
Clara, along with 3 other speakers from London and surrounding area will bravely share their personal stories of overcoming mental illness with the hope of empowering others to understand what mental health means to them, and how they can seek help for themselves, or support others who may be suffering. There will be door prizes and information booths available for all in attendance, with a very special welcoming reception.
"Our Community Champions are an incredible group of Canadians dedicated to helping achieve a stigma-free Canada," said Clara. "I want to thank the London and District Distress Centre for their passion and commitment to growing the mental health conversation. Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk would not be possible without the support of these local Champions."
In addition to the evening “Let’s Talk London” event, the London and District Distress Centre has partnered with both the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board to plan an educational conference for students that will also feature Clara Hughes as the keynote speaker. Close to four hundred students from schools across the district will hear Clara speak about mental health issues at the conference at the Western Fair Thursday March 20th.
Clara will arrive at the Carousel Room at the Western Fair at 9am and speak to the students for approximately one hour. She will then ride off on the next leg of her journey to Kitchener, Ontario.
Both the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board say they are pleased to be working with the London and District Distress Centre and to be a part of the London visit for Clara’s Big Ride.
The London and District Distress Centre provides 24 hour support to the residents of London and Middlesex. In 2013 the Centre received 21,671 calls on the help lines. 1,137 of those calls were suicide related. It is estimated that approximately 70% of callers have some form of mental illness.
Let’s Talk London
Where: London’s Western Fair District - Carousel Room
When: 5pm to 7:30pm
Cost: $30 per person
To purchase tickets for “Let’s Talk London” Celebrating Clara’s Big Ride and to view sponsorship opportunities visit www.londondistresscentre.com or please contact:
Cheryl Legate
Executive Director
London and District Distress Centre
519-667- 6709
cheryl@londondistresscentre.com
Sarah Lagrove
Community Development Coordinator
London and District Distress Centre
519-667-6585
sarah@londondistresscentre.com
Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day
Bell donates 5 cents for every text sent, mobile call and long distance call made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers, every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of the Bell Let's Talk Day image. Bell's donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let's Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges, if any, apply. Bell has already committed $62,043,289 to fund Canadian mental health programs based on its original $50 million commitment and participation in Bell Let's Talk Day since 2011.
The London and District Distress Centre is a proud recipient of some of those community program dollars!
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