8 Carn Wheelers - Dean Lockhart, Nigel Gibson, Cathal Doyle, Stephen Walsh, Tony O'Doherty, Ryan Kelly, Ryan McErlean and Nicky Gormley - will be taking on the Race Around Ireland 2019 on 25th August in aid of S.T.E.P.S Mental Health Awareness.

S.T.E.P.S. stands for Suicide. Talking. Education. Prevention. Support.

S.T.E.P.S. group was set up after a public consultation in 2012. Then Draperstown was referred to as the Suicide capital of Mid Ulster. S.T.E.P.S. promote a preventative approach and endeavour to break down the wall of silence, stigma and fear around Suicide and Mental Health.

S.T.E.P.S. started in 2012 with one yoga class we now have a range of classes – Yoga, Zumba, Physio led Pilates, Netball, Horticulture and we offer a drop in service every Friday from 7:30-9:30 for anyone who needs someone to talk to.

In 2016 due to our close partnership working with our GP we set up S.T.E.P.S. Counselling as their waiting list was 1 to 2 years for counselling. S.T.E.P.S. Counselling started in December 2016 with one counsellor, now in 2019 we have 4 fully qualified counsellors and our service runs Monday to Friday.

From December 2016 to December 2018 we have seen 185 people. 122 Females aged from 7-73 and 66 Males aged from 8-67 from 19 different towns – Draperstown, Moneyneena, Sixtowns, Tobermore, Maghera, Swatragh, Kilrea, Ballymoney, Desertmartin, Castledawson, Magherafelt, Moneymore, Cookstown, Feeny, Claudy, Limavady, Dungiven, Forglen, Bellaghy.

S.T.E.P.S. is run solely by volunteers so every penny raised and donated goes directly back into the community to support those in need. S.T.E.P.S. classes are mostly self-sustaining. However it is really hard to find funding for counselling so the majority of monies raised goes to sustaining this vital service.

Charity Number – S.T.E.P.S. Mental Health –NIC106830