Ride to prevent suicide
James Quinton stopped through Karratha on Monday, July 30
James Quinton is currently cycling from Perth to Darwin to help prevent suicide and stopped in at McLaren’s Raw Hire for the fundraising barbeque on Monday, July 30.
James is cycling more than 4000km solo, from Darwin to Perth to raise awareness of suicide prevention and mental wellbeing, riding up to eight hours a day, for seven weeks.
“Every year I like to set myself a big adventure, a couple of years ago I rode from Perth to Melbourne, last year I rode for nine weeks around the UK, and previously I had done a lot of bush walking in Tasmania and the southwest of Western Australia,” he said.
“Then I met a 71-year-old man a couple of years ago, who was on the last day of his trip from Darwin to Perth and he gave me the idea.
“I was planning it with my sister, who is involved with Lifeline and we decided that I would help raise money for the organisation and it kind of evolved from there.”
Apart from riding along the Gibb River Road, James said the most difficult part of the trip was talking about suicide and depression.
“Talking about suicide and depression goes to the core of your emotions,” he said.
“I lost my brother to suicide about five years ago, so I have been able to talk to a lot of people who are affected by it.
“At 80 Mile Beach, I was talking to a man, whose wife had taken her life two years prior.”
While the ride is inspirational and positive, James said that the message is to get people talking more about mental health.
“I believe that people don’t talk enough about it and they are not open about it,” he said.
“Part of coming up here to work, you get your safety boots and clothes and you get told what to do if there is a fire or if someone has a cut, but you don’t get told what to do when you want to take your own life.
“I think it should be part of the workplace procedure.”
McLaren’s Raw Hire branch manager Eliza Carbines, said that the business is always looking at getting the community more involved.
“And why not help prevent suicide and raise awareness of mental health,” she said.
“A lot of people suffer from depression and it needs to be recognised more.”
For more information on how you can make a donation, visit www.everydayhero.com.au/james_quinton, with all proceeds going to Lifeline WA.
To follow James’ travels, search ‘Ride to Prevent Suicide’ on Facebook.
Tags: Echo, James Quinton, Karratha, News, Pilbara, pilbaranews, suicide
