Last week, The Rising 2024, A Lust for Life’s flagship national fundraiser, took place, led by mental health advocate and Nevo Brand Ambassador, Niall "Bressie" Breslin and his dedicated team. The event was a powerful call to action, aimed at raising both awareness and funds to support children’s mental health in Ireland. The journey, which spanned several days and showed impressive feats of endurance, was designed to highlight the need for mental health education and support in schools.

The challenge included a six-day kayak down the River Shannon, a gruelling 160km cycle from Limerick to Cronin's Yard in Kerry, and a final climb up Ireland’s highest peak, Carrauntoohil. As Bressie and his team pushed themselves to their physical limits, they aimed to inspire others to rise up and join the movement in transforming children’s mental health.

Nevo and Volkswagen Commercials Support the Cause

Nevo and Volkswagen Commercials were proud to assist in this incredible effort by supplying two Volkswagen ID. Buzz electric vehicles for the team’s journey. These vehicles played a key role in providing logistical support throughout the event, ensuring the team had access to the resources and transportation they needed. The ID. Buzz vehicles, known for their eco-friendly technology and versatility, were an ideal fit for the values of both Nevo and A Lust for Life, promoting sustainability alongside mental health awareness.

In addition, three members of the Nevo team, Shane, Simon and Jorge, joined Bressie and his group for the cycling portion of the challenge, pedalling alongside the team from Limerick to Kerry. The Drive Inc. group also played their part in undertaking their own 1,000km shared challenge to raise awareness for this important cause. By the end of the month, they had surpassed their goal, covering a total of 1,810 km and raising an amazing €4,007 for youth mental health.

Why The Rising Matters

The importance of this fundraiser truly can’t be overstated. Children and young people in Ireland are facing real challenges when it comes to their mental health, with rising levels of anxiety and stress. Preventative mental health education has been proven to make a big difference, yet it’s still not part of the national curriculum. This is where A Lust for Life steps in, developing and delivering free mental health programmes for primary schools across the country to help fill this crucial gap.

Since launching in 2020, their digital programme has reached over 92,000 children in 3,500 classrooms nationwide. A Lust for Life’s mission is to ensure that every child in Ireland has access to mental health education, from junior infants to Leaving Cert. However, these programmes rely entirely on financial donations, as the charity receives no government funding.

How You Can Help

Although the event has concluded, it’s not too late to get involved. You can still support The Rising and A Lust for Life’s mission by donating to the challenge or organising your own fundraiser. Every contribution brings A Lust for Life closer to its goal of reaching every child and young person in Ireland with life-changing mental health education.

To donate or find out more, visit The Rising 2024.

Let’s continue to rise up for mental health in 2024 and beyond!