Sports stars and sports clubs up and down the country will be getting ready for an early start on Saturday, May 6th when these years
Darkness Into Light, the annual fundraising event organised by Pieta and supported by Electric Ireland, takes place.

Over 100,000 people across 200 locations will come together for the most important sunrise of the year.

Each year the walk provides an opportunity for communities to come together and to bring hope to people who have been impacted by suicide.

Today Electric Ireland has announced that it is to extend its ten-year partnership on the event by a further three years up to and including 2025.

Suicide continues to be a real problem in Ireland and was the leading cause of death in young men aged under 25 in the country in 2019. Darkness Into Light helps raise essential funds and enables Pieta to continue providing free-of-charge suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement support to people of all ages across Ireland.

In 2022 alone, Pieta delivered over 50,000 hours of free, one-to-one therapy, and helped over 6,500 clients nationwide. The 24/7 crisis helpline received almost 100,000 calls and texts and supported close to 700 households bereaved by suicide. Almost 35% of clients presenting to Pieta in 2022 were aged between 18-35 years and a further 36% of clients in the same year were under 18.

The funds raised from this year’s Darkness Into Light will help communities around the country, with the funding going directly to Pieta’s services.

“Electric Ireland has sponsored Darkness into Light since 2013,” said Executive Director Pat Fenlon. “Each year we work with Pieta to create marketing and fundraising campaigns to promote awareness of this unique event and encourage as many people as possible to participate and donate much needed funds.”

“I am delighted to announce that we have renewed our sponsorship for another three years up to and including 2025. Darkness into Light is very important to our staff, customers and the communities in which we operate.”

Sign up and take part at darknessintolight.ie

#DIL2023 #BrighterTogether

Sport for Business will have an interview in our Sport for Social Good Podcast Series, in partnership with Allianz, during the week leading up to this year’s Darkness Into Light.