Luke McFarlane, Matt Tope, Jamie Wilson, and Rodney Phillips, all from Papamoa, were visiting the lighthouse at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula yesterday as part of a 12-day tour taking in 24 lighthouses around the country.
They started their journey on April 17 at Mount Maunganui and plan to cover more than 6000km, meeting representatives from mental health organisations and charities along the way as they raise awareness about men’s mental health.
Their charity, the Lighthouse Project Charitable Trust, hopes to raise $100,000 for men’s mental health.
Project spokesman Luke McFarlane said he wanted men to know they had options, and the first step was to talk about their struggles.
"The four of us have struggled and had mates who’ve been depressed.
"We’re trying to get rid of the stigma of asking for help."
After stopping at Taiaroa Head the group ran to the Cape Saunders Lighthouse.
So far, they had visited 12 lighthouses. Their next stop would be the Akaroa Head lighthouse near Christchurch.
