Motorcyclists to take part in Black Dog Ride this weekend to raise awareness of suicide and mental health

The roar of motorcycles will echo through the Great Southern this weekend as riders gather in Denmark for the region’s annual Black Dog Ride, raising awareness of mental health and suicide. More than 80 motorcyclists are expected to take part in the ride, which aims to spark important conversations while bringing the community together. The charity event will begin on Saturday with a welcome dinner at the Denmark Tavern at 6pm where the Black Dog Ride Saw Blade will be auctioned alongside other raffle prizes. The ride will start on Sunday at the Kwoorabup Community Park at 6.15am, where a coffee van and breakfast rolls by the Denmark Lions will be available from 7am. At 8.30am the riders will depart Denmark and travel to Cranbrook where they will arrive at Kaffe 107 for morning tea at 9.30am and then continue on to Gnowangerup for 11.30am. They will reach their final destination — the Lions Park in Katanning — at 12.40pm for a barbecue lunch. Ride co-ordinator Rob Woods said the aim of the ride is to promote important discussions and awareness surrounding mental health. “It’s all about starting the conversation around depression and suicide prevention,” he said. “What we like to do is get people talking about it and bringing it out in the open.” This year marks 12 years of the one-day ride and Mr Woods said it is always well attended and received. “This will be our 12th year of doing it out of Denmark, so it’s well known and people support us,” he said. “We have up to 80 (participants) I think this year. “We get people from all over the place — some from up near Pingelly and Narrogin coming down, even some from Perth.” Mr Woods emphasised the importance of such events. “It (the event) makes people stop and think that there is a problem,” he said. “It is a big problem, there’s so many people losing their lives. “The more we can get people talking about it and bringing it out in the open, the more people might be taking notice of their friends and family around them,” he said. Donations can be made via the Black Dog Ride website.