Black Dog Ride NZ 14 April 2013 NOW CANCELLED

[Graelin]

Ride Cancelled please see post # 4 below

Hi,

I have been a NZ rider in the past, a long time ago and still miss your great roads! Being relativly new to this forum I would like to let you know about the "Black Dog Rides" in Australia and the one planned for Christchurch.

Black Dog Ride began in 2009 as one man's ride, "Steve Andrews", around Australia to raise awareness of depression, evolving into a national movement of thousands of Australian riders who have raised over $600,000 for mental health services and fostered a culture of mental health awareness around the country.

On Sunday 24th March we had around 5,000 riders and pillions attend the "National One Day Black Dog Ride" with seventeen rides coordinated around Australia. The West Australian Dardanup ride that i went in had 613 bikes and a total with pillions of 750 yesterday.

All proceeds from this go to LifeLine.

Black Dog Ride has crossed the Tasman! This very first international Black Dog Ride will be held in Christchurch, to help start the conversation about depression awareness and suicide prevention in a courageous community still recovering from the devastating earthquakes of 2010/2011.

The inaugural Black Dog Ride in New Zealand will be on Sunday 14th April 2013 riding from Christchurch to Hanmer for depression awareness and suicide prevention. Your participation in this Black Dog Ride will raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention services provided by Lifeline NZ.

For information and registration for the New Zealand ride please see the link below that includes CTV news item video, which gives good background information.

http://www.blackdogride.com.au/view/rides/bdrnz-2013/

I had booked flights for this with my wife but disapointingly illness has prevented this for us. We hope to come over some time later this year or early next year. Steve Andrews will be there though and it would be great to see riders supporting this cause.


This link provides information on The Black Dog Ride.

http://www.blackdogride.com.au/

The facebook page link.

https://www.facebook.com/BlackDogRide

I will try and answer any questions that you have.

[Graelin]

This is from todays Black Dog Ride FaceBook page.

You might have noticed we've changed our cover pic here. Yep, mere days after the hugely successful National 1 Day Ride, our tiny team is preparing for the inaugural Black Dog Ride NZ in April. Help us help our mates over the Tasman, and get the word out about this ride. Info is on the BDR website. Cheers, Fi

Please see the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/

We have found that by using motorcycles we have been able to open up discussion, raise awareness of this illness and raise funds for "LifeLine" and also the "Black Dog Institute" for research and programs in mental health.


<a href="http://imgur.com/PSIo70v"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/PSIo70v.jpg" alt="" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a>

[The Baron]

Bump.......

[Graelin]

Thanks for the bump The Baron.

This Sunday 14th April sees the first International 'Black Dog Ride' in Christchurch. Steve Andrews began with just one bike and now four years later nearly 5,000 riders and pillions participated in Australias one day 'Black Dog Ride'.

It would be great to see this replicated in New Zealand as what Steve has accomplished is for the subject of Depression and Suicide prevention to be discussed openly through our motorcycling. Over $500.000 has been raised for LifeLine and the Black Dog Institute so far, we should have the figure in this week for the latest ride to add to this total.

I am sorry I can not be there, my wifes and my own airfares were paid however lifes issues got in the way.

On a personal note I was in Christchurch three weeks before the earthquake with my wife and children and we were devastated to see it. We had gone on holiday after being in a National disaster ourselves a year before. 38 houses around ours were destroyed by a bushfire. My mother missing for three hours in the fire.

The effects on us and the community were enourmous and we were fortunate that no lives were lost.

I sincerely hope that this ride will provide help to the Earthquake survivors through LifeLine as I know how much it means to have long term assistance.

[Graelin]

I have just taken this from the official Black Dog Website.

Black Dog Ride NZ

It is with much sadness and disappointment that we announce the cancellation of our proposed Black Dog Ride New Zealand in April 2014.

The Ride has been cancelled due to the ride date clashing with several local rides which we were unaware of until this week.

The Ride was to have brought the motorcycling community together to ride for depression awareness and raise and vital funds for LifeLine NZ's crisis services.

Please contact Steve Andrews by email if you are interested in participating or supporting a future BDR NZ.

Click HERE to read an announcement from Islay McLeod at LifeLine New Zealand.

LifeLine NZ (below)

4 April 2013
Dear Registered Rider,
I very much regret to advise you that The Black Dog Ride to Hanmer on 14 April has had to
be cancelled. We were concerned at low registrations and when checking around,
discovered that there have been several major motorcycle rides and events around
Canterbury this year and a further significant event scheduled which clashes.
We did our very best, almost a year ago, to ensure we had a clear timing but unfortunately
circumstances since have overtaken that care and attention.
On behalf of the organisers and LifeLine New Zealand, I apologise to you for any
inconvenience this may cause and hope that, should we reschedule for later in the year, we
can contact you again for interest and support.
Many thanks
Islay McLeod
National Fundraiser
LifeLine New Zealand
islay@xtra.co.nz

From me personally

We put a great deal of effort into this from a long way from Christchurch however it was allways going to be difficult without a rider representative on the ground in New Zealand. We would look at going ahead with this at a later date and are looking for help as a ride coordinator.

If any one can help with this they should contact Steve Andrews and I am sure we could get this going.

steve@blackdogride.com.au

[The Baron]

Bugger.......

[Graelin]

The total funds raised from the Australian Black Dog One Day Rides held on 24th March are now over $190,000 this is an exeptional result from motorcyclists throughout Australia.

Exerpt from BDR site.
As Black Dog Ride is an independent organisation whose primary mission is to raise awareness of depression and suicide prevention, every ride has a specially chosen beneficiary for the funds raised on the ride. Black Dog Ride has been proud to again support Lifeline with the National 1 Day Ride. Lifeline is the pre-eminent suicide prevention organisation in Australia, receiving over one million contacts per year, and a call for assistance on their crisis line every 50 seconds. Lifeline's suicide prevention programs save lives every day yet rely upon public generosity to maintain these vital programs around Australia.

These funds will help to maintain and build Lifeline's vital suicide prevention programs around the nation. The generosity of Black Dog Riders and supporters and their commitment to riding for awareness is truly humbling. Thank you, Black Dog Riders!

For full wrap up including all states please see link below.

http://www.blackdogride.com.au/view/post-archives/1dr2013-wrapup

Would be great to get this going in New Zealand.

[Theantidote]

hei folks...i just found this and it's right up me alley...as a rider with over 30 years lived experience with mental illness and addiction issues i'm stoked to see what they're doing in oz...but it leaves me wondering what's up here? would be such an awesome event with endless possibilities eh...
Anyone with experience organising large charity runs interested?

[Graelin]

Theantidote, thanks for the support, we would help out a NZ Ride Coordinator with full support.

This is an excerpt from Aprils Black Dog Ride News Letter.

We were disappointed to announce the cancellation of the planned Black Dog Ride NZ in April through circumstances beyond our control. Black Dog Ride is interested in hearing from a rider over the Tasman who has the capacity to act as a NZ Ride Coordinator for Black Dog Ride, with full support from the Black Dog Ride Team here in Australia. Read more here.
Steve

Here is the link to the BDR News Letter, you can subscribe to this.

http://mailbuild.millstream.com.au/t/ViewEmail/r/A9743F0DB8A667282540EF23F30FEDED/AEC7DC4D3579991974AF8F7A76570606