According to the World Health Organisation, by the year 2030, mental health will be the leading cause of disability in the world. International and local research indicates that there is a lack of knowledge about mental wellness in the workplace, that discrimination and stigmatization is high and that it consumes significant health and non-health resources.

SADAG has seized the opportunity to support mental wellness in a tangible way by organising a mental health and wellness day on Saturday, 10 October, which is International Mental Health Day, and annually thereafter.

The main objective of this event is to contribute towards the improvement in the awareness and knowledge of mental illness and to encourage solidarity with those affected. SADAG aims to achieve this objective by hosting an art, cycle and trail run event to raise funds in aid of SADAG.

The event is booked and will be hosted at NiroxArt in the Cradle of Humankind. There will be a limit of 2000 attendees. The Cradle of Humankind comprises of 47 000 hectares of rural and wilderness land and is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Given SADAG’s vision “Awareness, Knowledge and Solidarity” the event will consist of a combination of art, sporting and social events.

Art conveys messages to human beings that cannot always be expressed in words. Accordingly, SADAG will be using the artwork of well-known artists, selected by the owner of NiroxArt, Benji Liebmann, to portray life with mental illness. These art pieces will be displayed in the park gardens and in buildings giving visitors the opportunity to view it at their leisure. Music will also be on offer; from indigenous African to classical music. To keep children entertained, local artisits will run a children’s art event, which will encourage the children to express themselves.

A mountain bike (MTB) race is planned for the day too. A team of three cyclists or an individual will ride through an exquisite game farm with the opportunity to enjoy exciting MTB trails and cycle amongst the herds of game and enjoy the views of the Magalies Mountains. SADAG aims to cater for all calibres of cyclist, as such the trail will be 12km in distance, however, for those seeking more of a challenge, the event can be entered into as a three times solo event (36km). The team event will be a relay and each team member will have to complete the trail once.

The trail run will consist of a five km run in the same area as the MTB event. As with the MTB challenge, the trail run will be contested as a three time five km team relay, but alternatively as an individual 10km or 15km challenge.

The MTB and trail run challenge should be completed by 11:00. Visitors can buy a picnic basket upon registration and enjoy it under the hundreds of shade trees at NiroxArt Park. Several other food and drink stalls will also be on the premises.

Visitors who wish to understand mental health issues will also have the opportunity to attend small, informal talks by people who will share how they have coped with their mental health issues, ranging from anxiety to depression to ADHD. There will also be an online mental wellness assessment, for their own information purposes.

For more information, visit www.sadag.org. Alternatively connect with them on Facebook or Twitter.