A Sydney-based insurance broker turned philanthropist will pass by Bathurst next week as part of a 520-kilometre walk raising awareness for youth mental health.
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Pieter Lindhout set out from Gilgandra last Monday, and will pass by Bathurst next Wednesday en route to Sydney for the Anzac Day dawn service at Martin Place.
Mr Lindhout said the route is inspired by the original 'Coo-ee March' carried out by Australian army recruits in 1915 as a ceremonial journey to Sydney to leave for the battlefields of World War I.
"The march left Gilgandra on October 10, 1915 with 25 men and arrived in Sydney 33 days later with 263 men, and I've designed my route to emulate this journey," he said.
"I had three great uncles who fought in Gallipoli and the Western Front, and the remarkable stories of their service, and especially their struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder inspired me to design this walk as a mental health fundraiser."
Mr Lindhout has partnered with Batyr, a preventative mental health organisation created and driven by young people for young people, and has set a fundraising goal of $20,000.
"Batyr run programs with people who have had a personal experience with attempted suicide, and they work closely with schools and universities to empower students to manage and seek support for mental health," he said.
"For every 30 students in Australia, seven are suffering a mental health issue, yet only two reach out for support, so this walk is aimed at assisting those five who suffer in silence." For more information, visit www.cooeewalk.com.au.
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