MEDIA RELEASE

2nd April 2008
For Immediate Release

DON’T MIND BEING DOG TIRED IN SUPPORT OF MENTAL ILLNESS

Dougal and Tess are not your average West Highland Terriers and whatever you do, don’t call them fluffy lap dogs.  Able to run a half marathon, the two dogs are constant running companions of their owner and runner, Paul Ashton who is currently training for the Alpine Skyrun 100 mile – Ultra Marathon.

Although the dogs will not join Paul on his journey to complete the Alpine Skyrun 100, the hardest alpine run in Australia, they are training hard with him to make sure he can complete the one hundred mile run (160km), over the highest mountains in Victoria, covering 5,500 metres of ascent and descent.

The Alpine Skyrun 100, the only run of its kind in Australia, is a challenge, which although attempted before has not yet been achieved.  This year the five runners hope to beat the mountains and while doing so raise money to support people who are recovering from mental illness

Event organiser and participant, Paul Ashton, commented that although this is an extremely tough event it is nothing compared with the challenges faced daily by people trying to recover from mental illness.

“Recovering from a mental illness takes will and determination that I can’t even imagine.  Mind is an organisation that supports people in their recovery, so they don’t have to do it alone and we hope that by running this event we can raise much needed funds for Mind and awareness of mental illness” said Mr Ashton.

We are asking people to sponsor us.  Our aim this year is to raise $17,000 for Mind’s scholarship program, which will support 14 clients of Mind to study”.

The run, set in the high country of north east Victoria, spans Mt Feathertop, Mt Hotham, The Fainters, Bogong Village, Spione Kopje, Mt Nelse and Victoria’s highest mountain Mt Bogong.

This area is subject to sudden and severe weather changes, as experienced by the runners in 2006 who were forced to abandon the run half way, when faced with an unseasonal dump of calf deep snow and freezing conditions.

The run commences on Saturday 5th April from Harrietville. People can sponsor runners on the Mind website www.mindaustralia.org.au

-ends-

Pictorial Opportunity

What:   Paul Ashton and his two West Highland Terriers training for The Alpine Skyrun 100
When:  Wednesday 2nd April – 1.30pm
Where: Yarra Flats Park, Enter from The Boulevard, East lvanhoe (Melway ref: 32 C6).

Background – Mind (formerly Richmond Fellowship Victoria & South Australia)

Mind has been operating for more than 30 years and is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit, non-government providers of mental health services to people recovering from a mental illness.  Mind also assists people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to access community services including safe and stable accommodation.

Each year Mind helps more than 2,000 people to rebuild their lives, reconnect with family, friends and the community and rediscover a purpose in life.