Take the plunge with Derry abseil for mental health

Local charity AWARE NI, a pillar of mental health support in Derry since 1996, is calling for locals to join them for their next fundraising event in the city - an abseil from the top of the picturesque City Hotel Derry on Sunday, June 8 2025. The charity is appealing to individuals and local businesses to enter and raise vital funds to support local individuals grappling with low mood, depression, anxiety, and bipolar.

AWARE is a Derry-born charity playing a pivotal role in providing compassionate and effective peer-led support groups for those living with mental health challenges in Derry and beyond.  

The event symbolises the organisation's ongoing commitment to challenging mental health stigmas and ensuring no one faces their journey alone.

AWARE's Chairman Bernard McAnaney took part in 2024. "My role as chair doesn't necessarily require me to take part in adventure challenges but abseiling down the side of the City Hotel last year was quite the experience!

“The whole event had a great buzz, and it was fantastic to see over 80 people taking part to support AWARE. After all, we are a Derry-born charity; we provide two support groups a week in the city and work with local businesses and schools to deliver training education and training programmes to people of all ages and stages of life, teaching them how to manage their mental health. I highly recommend participating in the AWARE City Hotel Abseil on 8th June. It’s a great experience, and your support will enable AWARE to fund and develop our mental health services in Derry."

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AWARE Head of Fundraising Leigh Osborne said, "AWARE rely on fundraising events to generate income so we can continue to deliver our range of mental health services across the country. Last year's City Hotel Abseil raised £25,000 thanks to the local community getting fully behind it. We would love to see the same again this year. If you have ever thought about new ways to challenge yourself, please come and take part."

"Not only will it be a great experience, but your fundraising will support AWARE moving towards our vision of a future where people can talk about their mental health openly, access services appropriate to their needs, and have the skills and knowledge to maintain positive mental health.  Together, we can make a real difference."

Participants are asked to raise a minimum of £100, with funds raised supporting those affected by low mood, depression, anxiety, and bipolar in Northern Ireland through AWARE NI's services, including its network of mental health Support Groups located across the country. These groups provide a safe space for attendees to support each other, learn about mental health, and discuss coping strategies. While the groups are free to attend, each session costs AWARE approximately £163 a week to deliver, underscoring the importance of fundraising events like the City Hotel Abseil.

AWARE's Derry Support Group meets at their office (2 Crawford Square) every Tuesday at 7 pm and Thursday at 11 am, offering invaluable peer support and resources for individuals seeking mental health assistance in their local community.

For more information and to register for the Abseil on Sunday, 8th June, please visit aware-ni.org/derry-abseil.