BMW team up with Triathlon Ireland to support Pieta House

Published on 23 April, 2019

Ireland's fittest will #TriForPieta this year

Overview

Triathlon Ireland has today announced that it is supporting mental health with a significant
alliance with Pieta House, Ireland’s leading suicide prevention charity. This year, triathletes
across Ireland will raise money to help suicide prevention through a joint initiative between
Triathlon Ireland, BMW Ireland and Pieta House.

Funds that are raised will contribute to Pieta House’s ‘A Life a Day’ initiative which focuses on
raising money for the cost of a full programme of counselling for someone is suffering with
their mental health. Funds will also support the Resilience Academy, an initiative by Pieta
House which teaches school-going children positive mental health techniques and
strategies.

The Resilience Academy is a six-week, evidence-based programme that was
designed ‘with schools, for schools’. The programme aims to provide students with the skills
and coping mechanisms needed to succeed in school and throughout their adult lives.

Any participant who signs up for an event that is sanctioned by Triathlon Ireland will have the
opportunity to raise funds for Pieta House during their Triathlon journey. There is a hashtag for
to try and raise as much awareness and funds for Pieta House; #Tri4Pieta. This initiative is
being supported by BMW Ireland, Triathlon Ireland’s title sponsor.

Off The Ball are also getting involved by partaking in their first Triathlon as a team to raise
funds for Pieta House. On the 15th June, all six presenter from the popular sports media
company will partake in the Bolands BMW Hook or by Crook Triathlon in Dunmore East.

The CEO of Triathlon Ireland, Chris Kitchen is urging the sport’s 20,000 participants to get on
board and help fundraise for a worthy cause:
“The work that Pieta House does is not only lifesaving but life changing and Triathlon Ireland is
proud to be joining our official partners BMW to team up with Pieta House. Sport and exercise
can play a huge role in physical and mental wellbeing and linking this worthy cause to our sport
is for me a perfect match.”

Mr Kitchen continued: “I would urge every member and every triathlon club in Ireland to join us
in adopting Pieta House as their nominated charity for 2019. We have more than 18,000
participants each year and just look what a significant difference we could make to Pieta
House if we all gave €10 each so let’s show what a truly generous bunch us triathletes are and
do some fund raising.

“Each year BMW Group Ireland employees nominate a chosen charity and this year Pieta House
was chosen because the charity is addressing one of the most pressing social issues today;
mental health. We are humbled by the work Pieta House undertakes and are keen to raise as
much funds as we can for the A Life a Day and the Resilience Academy programmes”, said
Paulo Alves, Managing Director, BMW Group Ireland.

Kieran Brady, Director Funding & Advocacy Pieta House said: “We would like to express our
heartfelt gratitude to Triathlon Ireland and BMW Group Ireland for supporting ‘A Life a Day’
initiative and the Resilience Academy, a key pillar in the Pieta House suicide prevention service.
Triathlon Ireland will help us reach over 7,500 students nationwide. We are extremely
appreciative for their support and fundraising which will go a long way to significantly improve
the capability of adolescents to recognise and deal with difficulties around stigma and identity.
The program encourages students to reach out early and preventing them arriving at a point of
crisis”.

Brady added “Our vision at Pieta House is a world where suicide, self-harm, and stigma have
been replaced by hope, self-care, and acceptance. Triathlon Ireland & BMW Group Ireland are
with us in providing mental health education for young people, focusing on practical skills to help
students understand their emotions and develop techniques to cope with anxiety.”

Last year, BMW Group Ireland raised €25,000 for Temple Street National Children’s Hospital
and it is anticipated that the company will exceed this amount for Pieta House during 2019. In
addition to the Darkness into Light Walk, BMW Ireland’s network along with friends and family
have pledged to fundraise throughout the year with a charity cycle from Dublin to Belfast in one
day on 24th May, doing the Bolands BMW Hook or by Crook Triathlon in Dunmore East and Two
Provinces Triathlon in Lanesborogh, Co. Longford on 13th July.

To find out more on how to get involved or donate please visit
https://www.triathlonireland.com/Get-Involved/Tri4Pieta/

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives