ELECTRIC IRELAND IS PROUD TO SUPPORT PIETA AND DARKNESS INTO LIGHT FOR A NINTH YEAR AS AMBASSADORS SHARE LETTERS OF HOPE
-Electric Ireland and Pieta urge people to sign up at darknessintolight.ie and take part in a special Darkness Into Light Sunrise on May 8th.
-This year, participants can walk, run, swim, hike, bike or simply share One Sunrise Together for Darkness Into Light, as organised walks are not possible due to Covid-19 restrictions
-Darkness Into Light ambassadors share Sunrise Notes for this year’s launch – expressing how they have found light in the dark
Wednesday MARCH 31st
Electric Ireland is proud to support Pieta and Darkness Into Light for the ninth year and are urging people to sign up at darknessintolight.ie to take part in a special Darkness Into Light Sunrise on May 8th; a moment that can unite us whilst still physically apart. By taking part in Darkness Into Light, now a global movement and Pieta's main fundraiser, participants will help shine a light on suicide and self-harm while raising vital funds for Pieta’s lifesaving services, which are needed now more than ever, following a difficult year.
As part of the campaign launch, Electric Ireland together with Pieta have worked with well-known ambassadors who have written Sunrise Notes, which detail how they have found light in the dark, especially over the last 12 months.
The campaign is proudly supported by Broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan, Senator Eileen Flynn, Lord Mayor of Dublin Hazel Chu, writer Donal Ryan, Blogger Louise Cooney, Olympic Diver Oliver Dingley and Creative Director Lawson Mpame. Sunrise Notes from some of the ambassadors are available to read at https://www.electricireland.ie/sunrise-notes. Electric Ireland and Pieta are also encouraging the nation to take pen to paper to write their own Sunrise Note and share their stories of finding hope in the darkness online using #DIL2021. The concept of writing and sharing a heartfelt note will help normalise the challenges people have been facing this year, bringing people together through shared experiences of finding light in the darkness.
Broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan, commented: “Darkness Into Light is an incredibly important event on the Irish calendar. Now more than ever, Pieta need support from the Irish public to ensure their valued services can continue for those who need it. This year has seen Irish people adapt and come together in times of darkness. We’re a nation of doers, and I’m sure there will be a rally of support for Darkness Into Light, as we look towards a brighter future together. I’m looking forward to when we can walk hand in hand, arm in arm at dawn at future Darkness Into Light events. Until then, while we’re apart, let’s unite for Darkness Into Light: One Sunrise Together.”
Marguerite Sayers, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, added: “We are proud to support Pieta with Darkness Into Light for our ninth consecutive year. The partnership is incredibly important to all Electric Ireland staff and customers. We understand how difficult this year has been for many people, and there is an urgent need to support Pieta with their mission to help those who need it most. Electric Ireland truly believe that when the nation comes together, it has the power to bring hope to those who need it most; a true demonstration of how we’re brighter together. This year while we can’t physically be together for Darkness Into Light 2021, we can still come together while apart and sign up, show our support for Pieta and share a special sunrise with thousands of others around the country.”
Elaine Austin, CEO, Pieta commented:
“We have all faced with some incredible and daunting challenges over the last year. Pieta is here to support all of those in suicidal crisis and our free counselling has continued, uninterrupted throughout the Covid lockdowns. Our clinical team provide services over the phone, via text and in-person in twenty centres nationwide and, since last year, we now provide free counselling over video. In 2020, we delivered over 52,000 hours of therapy and we received over 70,000 calls and texts for help through our 24/7 crisis helpline.
Darkness Into Light is crucial in delivering the funds needed to support this level of service. We have a great partnership with Electric Ireland and the company have been unwavering in their support over the years. We are grateful too for our Darkness into Light committees who galvanise support for the event across the country year after year. It’s important for all of us to hold on to hope and Darkness Into Light gives us the opportunity to come together under this one common purpose, to remember our loved ones and to help those struggling at this time, and I do hope you will all join us on May 8th.”
Although there are no organised walks this year, Pieta and Electric Ireland are still urging the nation to sign up and mark this special Darkness Into Light sunrise within Covid guidelines, on May 8th to show support to those impacted by suicide. Now, one year on from when the country went into lockdown, Pieta’s services are in demand more than ever and they need the public’s support. So, get involved for Darkness Into Light whether that’s writing a sunrise note, walking, running, swimming, hiking, biking or simply sharing your sunrise snap using the hashtags (#BrighterTogether, #DIL2021), Because under one sunrise, we’re brighter together. Sign up now at darknessintolight.ie.
EXCERPTS FROM SUNRISE NOTES:
Read the full Sunrise Notes at https://www.electricireland.ie/sunrise-notes
“The noblest of all ambitions is to be kind, to ourselves and the people around us. No one expects grand acts of altruism or selflessness; the most profound kindnesses are often quiet acts, barely visible. The most worthwhile action is often inaction. A conscious decision to do nothing, to ask nothing of oneself, to let the world be as it is, can have a powerful effect. Like Hungry Paul in Rónán Hession’s wonderful novel, Leonard and Hungry Paul, who ‘maintained a natural clarity throughout his day, and stayed apart from the trouble that the world will undoubtedly make for those who look for it’, we should all allow ourselves peace, quietness, stillness. We should all let ourselves off the hook.” Writer, Donal Ryan
“It took the lowest point in my life to realise how wonderful and colourful the world truly was. Colourful and wonderful because I had people who loved me dearly and who wanted me to see how colourful the world truly was. It took talking about this dark stranger who was lurking and confronting this dark stranger to begin healing and seeing the world for what it truly was. A wonderful and colourful place.” Creative Director, Lawson Mpame
“My saving grace over the last few years has been communication. Something I initially could not bring myself to do. For a long time, I could barely bring myself to have a shower and eat, let alone have a conversation about my thoughts and feelings. I felt like a burden to those around me. An inconvenience who was better off not being around. I eventually did find a little strength within to break out of this self-inflicted isolation, reaching out to those closest and that sense of connection has become an important part of my own recovery. Whether you live on your own or with others, being connected to other people is really important, sometimes just having a chat can make the world seem a brighter place.” Olympic Diver, Oliver Dingley
“There is always hope and you're never alone although you feel very very lonely and you find it very hard to reach out. Trust me, you're never alone in your feelings. Thanks to Pieta, there is always someone you can reach out to when you need someone to listen. And when somebody does listen, life always gets better. The night cannot last forever and after the darkness there is always the sunshine - a new day full of fresh starts and a new possibility. Hang in there. You came this far and you can go farther.” Senator Eileen Flynn
#BrighterTogether
#DIL2021
ENDS
ABOUT DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
Darkness Into Light is organised by Pieta and proudly supported by Electric Ireland since 2013. It is a global movement dedicated to ending suicide and supporting those who engage in self-harm. By taking part in Darkness Into Light, participants play an important role in removing the stigma around suicide and self-harm as well as raising vital funds to fight suicide. Darkness Into Light, Pieta’s flagship annual fundraising and awareness event, started with approximately 400 people walking the 5km course in Dublin’s Phoenix Park in 2009 but has since grown into a gobal movement with over 200,000 people taking part in 150 locations, in 16 countries across 5 continents during pre-COVID years. This year, as we cannot gather together at our usual Darkness Into Light venues, we are bringing DIL to you, and asking all our supporters to don their yellow t-shirts and take part in the event at a time and in a location that suits you. We are so looking forward to sharing this very special sunrise with you.
ABOUT PIETA
Founded in Dublin in 2006, Pieta was established to provide free, accessible one-to-one counselling to people suffering from suicidal ideation, engaging in self-harm or to those bereaved by suicide. With over 200 qualified therapists and support staff across 20 centres, Pieta do everything they can to ensure that help is available to those in crisis. In 2020, despite the impact of Covid-19, Pieta are proud to have delivered over 52,000 hours of suicide intervention and bereavement counselling. Pieta also received over 70,000 crisis support calls and texts, and directly supported over 600 households impacted and bereaved by suicide.
For more information, visit Pieta.ie. Pieta also operates the free 24hr suicide helpline 1800 247 247 and a 24 hr text service - Text HELP to 51444
ABOUT ELECTRIC IRELAND
Electric Ireland was launched in 2011 as the retail arm of ESB Group, supplying electricity, gas and energy services to the business and residential markets in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Electric Ireland is recognised as Ireland’s leading energy provider, with a mission to create a brighter future for the customers and communities it serves.
Electric Ireland have a close and long-standing relationship with Pieta and have a long-term commitment to the issue of suicide and mental health in Ireland. Electric Ireland, as part of the ESB group, is proud to support three important areas in Irish life - education, homelessness and suicide prevention; and through ESB’s Energy for Generations Fund have invested €1million per year in charities and community groups across Ireland since 2005. Pieta first received support from this fund in 2006, when they received the investment needed to fit out the very first Pieta clinic in Lucan with furniture, lighting and other necessities needed to make the clinic as welcoming as possible.
Electric Ireland have supported Darkness Into Light since 2013, working with Pieta to bring hope to customers, staff and communities across Ireland that have been affected by suicide. Due to the combined efforts of Pieta and Electric Ireland and the support of the Irish people, the event helps raise millions of euro in funding every year, allowing Pieta to continue to operate their free of charge life-saving services. Electric Ireland has always believed in bringing light to dark places and is proud to continue to join Pieta every step along the way in tackling the issue of suicide in Ireland.