One Step, One Arm stroke, One Conversation
A group of passionate Kiwis, including some of New Zealand’s favourite former athletes, are taking part in a gruelling physical and mental challenge to raise awareness and money for youth mental health in New Zealand.
The Due Drop Hope Challenge, sponsored by Due Drop Foundation, is a 16-day relay event to swim/bike/run the length of the North Island, from Cape Reinga to the Beehive in Wellington, to raise awareness about the struggles young people face accessing counselling, despite a $1.5 billion investment by the current government.
Kicking off on 14th of February 2023, it will be run, cycled and swam by All Black Hall of Famer, Ian Jones MNZM, better known as the "kamo kid", and former World Triathlon champion, Commonwealth Games Triathlon champion and Commonwealth Games swimmer Rick Wells.
Other participants include:
• David Mitchell – Auckland businessman and keen swimmer
• Richard Hart – Auckland real estate guru and comic relief expert
• Karim Rostami – Polio virus survivor for whom walking again was considered a miracle by doctors, who fled to New Zealand from the Taliban regime when he was just 8 years-old, charity junkie
• Geoff Everson – Auckland IT professional and keen international swimmer
• Mike King – Founder of I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday, mental health advocate, will complete part of the journey
• Richie Barnett – Former international league star, will complete part of the journey
The event will conclude with a hīkoi to Parliament led by Mike King, where he will meet with a government representative to convey the group’s concerns regarding the critical need for leadership and decisive action on improving youth mental health in New Zealand.
Due Drop Foundation trustee Richard Jeffery, ONZM, says supporting I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday was a no brainer. “Due Drop Foundation is about intelligent giving, so it was a simple decision to get in behind I Am Hope as naming sponsor.”
“The wait times for our kids to see a mental health professional are getting longer and it seems we are becoming more reliant on medication to fill the void. This challenge is the ideal opportunity to promote our free counselling service Gumboot Friday and inform Kiwis that there is an alternative to these excruciatingly long wait times and medication,” says Mike King.
Ian Jones says the group of likeminded and probably “somewhat crazy old mates” are putting themselves through their paces to bring to the forefront the hopelessness and profound suffering that afflicts young people in New Zealand, driving New Zealand’s “absolutely tragic” suicide statistics.
“Encouraged by our previous efforts in the Great Barrier Challenge, we hope to raise money and awareness around mental health for Mike King’s I Am Hope and Gumboot Friday charities. The distance between Cape Reinga and parliament is 1,063 kilometers, and our goal is to raise enough money to cover 1,063 counselling sessions,” says Jones.
Rick Wells, who led the team in the Great Barrier to Auckland Challenge, raising $350,000 for St John, says the topic of teen suicide in New Zealand is one of national significance.
“New Zealand has one of the highest teenage suicide rates in the world. Everyday our children suffer from depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental health challenges, and we need more people to be talking about it, with urgency.
“Most of the participants in our group are not professional or seasoned athletes, but we’re putting ourselves through acute pain in the hope of the country taking notice of the pain our children are in,” says Wells.
King, who has been training with the group for the biggest physical challenge of his life, points out once again, legendary Kiwis rise to the occasion to get our rangatahi the help they need.
“Inaction is injustice, and we’re taking action. If those in power won’t do anything about our kids’ suffering, we will, and we are. Who knows if I’ll make it out the other end of this, but I am going all in.”
On the way down the North Island, athletes and supporters will visit 16 towns where they will engage with local iwi, communities, schools, and businesses to encourage participation, whether it be running a kilometre with the team or meeting them at the finish line.
A specially designed ‘Helping Hand of Hope’ trophy will be given to each sponsor of the day, as a tribute and reminder to lend young people the hope and voice they need in their time of crisis.
DUE DROP HOPE CHALLENGE CALENDAR:
Day 1 – Tuesday Feb 14th
TE HAPUA
Day 2 – Wednesday Feb 15th
MANGONUI
Day 3 – Thursday Feb 16th
RUSSELL
Day 4 – Friday Feb 17th
ONE TREE POINT
Day 5 – Saturday Feb 18th
CHELSEA SUGAR WHARF
Day 6 – Sunday Feb 19th
WAIHEKE
Day 7 – Monday Feb 20th
WHANGAMATA
Day 8 – Tuesday Feb 21st
MT MAUNGANUI
Day 9 – Wednesday Feb 22nd
WHAKATANE
Day 10 – Thursday Feb 23rd
WAIHAU BAY
Day 11 – Friday Feb 24th
IRITEKURA MARAE
Day 12 – Saturday Feb 25th
GISBORNE
Day 13 – Sunday Feb 26th
NAPIER
Day 14 – Monday Feb 27th
TAIHAPE
Day 15 – Tuesday Feb 28th
HIMATANGI
Day 16 – Wednesday March 1st
WELLINGTON CBD
