Our brilliant Barry community started the New Year in with a superb splash at the first ever Gobaith Am Barri fundraiser of 2019.
Wearing the powerful #itsoknottobeok T-Shirts, friends, family, children, and even the odd dog, swam into the wild waters of Whitmore Bay on January 1st to raise funds for our town’s Suicide Support Centre.
These included Jake Turnbull Scully, Andrew Sheehan, Jamie Louise, Nina Lawrence, Chelsea Jones, Vicky Gee, Eva Mai Gee-Parsons, Jessica Taylor, Neil Avaient, Ceri Ann Campbell, Rhidian Renno and Rachel Degaetano. Staunch supporters Mandy Gee and Sue Vincent-Jones held the towels!
The splash in the sea raised over £300 for Gobaith Am Barri, with more funds coming in everyday.
To make a donation for the Suicide Support Swim please click here.
The Campaign was set up by brave Mum Rachel Degaetano following the death of her son Chae, and then seven young men, and three young women, to suicide, in Barry since April 2015.
She needs to hit a target of £85,000 to start the Suicide Support Centre, that she is personally, and painfully, aware is much-needed in our town.
Locals have come together in force to fund raise for the facility. This includes sponsored walks, pub runs, taking part in the Cardiff Half, jewellery making, and wearing Christmas Jumpers.
For example, Swansea Support Centre Staff raised funds by wearing their festive woolies to work.
Rachel said: “I really don’t know where to begin. I think it should be at thank you. Thank you to each and every single one of you that is making the Campaign to make our Suicide Support Centre a reality.”
Rachel’s dream will move even closer next week when the work begins on the Gobaith Am Barri premises. The Coach House, behind Hoffi Coffi in Holton Road, will open it doors on Tuesday January 8th at 9am to anyone wishing to get involved to help Gobaith Am Barri get up and running.
Rachel added: “I don’t expect anyone to to do any work on that day, but please come along if you feel you would like to help us make a start, have any ideas, or have any materials you could donate. We couldn’t save our kids, but its not to late to save others.”
Please contact Rachel if you can help get the Centre started.
Thank you so much.
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
Sue Vincent-Jones, writing as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
As a community activist, Sue was an integral part of the Gobaith Campaign for a much-needed Barry Suicide Support Centre. She was Media Lead, and Communications Advisor, for the Group who have now merged with CUBE.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.