Community ride a fun event for a serious cause

Tribal Nations Motorcycle Community member Bruce Hetfield says opening up about mental health challenges is important. Photo: Simon Henderson

Suicide should not be a taboo subject, the organiser of a community motorbike ride says.

Riders Against Teen Suicide (Rats) returns on Saturday, November 5.

The initiative is run by the Tribal Nations Motorcycle Community to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention.

Marketing co-ordinator Bruce Hetfield said this was the second time the ride would culminate with a big community gathering in Mosgiel.

"The first one was in 2020. We unfortunately were unable to have one last year."

Riders will gather at motorcycle store McIver and Veitch, on Crawford St, early on the Saturday morning, then ride around the greater Dunedin area before heading to the Olympic Gym car park, in Gordon Rd, near Hartstonge Ave, in Mosgiel, for a community event.

"It is a fun event for a very serious cause."

"The aim of it is to promote discussion and awareness around suicide, which obviously is a very touchy subject," Mr Hetfield said.

"It is a way to let the whole family in on this idea that suicide shouldn’t be a taboo subject."

By showing even perceived "hard people" such as biker club members could be struggling with mental health issues the aim was to encourage a more open conversation.

There were not many people in society that were untouched by suicide in some way, shape, or form, Mr Hetfield said.

"I certainly have been affected by it in various ways."

In the past he had struggled with suicidal thoughts, and finding ways to share these thoughts was important to getting the right help, he said.