Charlie Bird is set to lead a very special Hand of Friendship Walk for the Samaritans in Co Wicklow next month.
The former RTE broadcaster is bravely battling motor neurone disease, and he will next take part in a 5km walk through Avondale Forest Park in Rathdrum Co Wicklow with Samaritans volunteers and supporters on Sunday, April 16 at 11am. The Charlie Bird Hand of Friendship Walk with Samaritans is being supported by Coillte, which will also open Avondale Forest Park and several Coillte sites across the country for 5km and 1km walks to encourage more people to get involved.
For those who can't travel to Wicklow, they can still "walk in solidarity with Charlie" in any of Coillte’s forest walks, or with Samaritans volunteers in Lough Key Forest Park in Roscommon, Farren Forest Park in Cork, and at Ard na Gaoithe in Galway. Charlie, 73, hopes members of the public will join him to support the Samaritans and their work.
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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."
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.
Charlie will be joined by his wife, Claire, and their dog, Tiger on the day. The event will take place just over a year after Charlie’s successful Climb with Charlie to the peak of Croagh Patrick, where Charlie was joined by thousands of supporters as he raised over €3million for charity.
For information on the walk and sites across the country, to register or to make donation, visit www.charlieswalkoffriendship.com
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