Walker needs company

WALK WITH ME: Kylie Lang is calling for people to join her on her charity walk on the Te Araroa Trail for the Mental Health Foundation

To raise awareness of mental illness, Kylie Lang is trekking from the Cape to the Bluff - and is stopping in Wairarapa on the way.

Ms Lang, of Rotorua, will be walking the Te Araroa Trail - stretching the length of the country - starting in October.

However, she's not going it alone and is calling for walkers to join in and trek a section of the walk alongside her.

Ms Lang, who will first be walking the length of the North Island, has coined her charity walk the "I'm Not Alone Walk of New Zealand", to capture the importance of social inclusion for people living with mental illness.

It will take her 72 days to walk 1611km, and she is inviting people to join her for a day's walk on one of the trail's 58 North Island tracks.

Wairarapa-based walkers can tag along with Ms Lang as she passes through the Tararuas - some of the country's most challenging terrain - from December 13-21.

Ms Lang hopes her journey will encourage others to be active, enjoy the outdoors, and do different types of activities with a positive support network - all of which can help with recovery from mental illness.

"It's about engaging with people and inspiring them to set a goal," she said.

"This walk symbolises doing things together, talking time out and how important support is for our mental health."

Ms Lang was inspired to raise awareness of mental illness as she has lost two members of her family to suicide, and had a partner who struggled with depression.

"The more I talk about mental illness, the more others talk, and that is what I am trying to achieve.

"Mental health issues are so common. We should all be talking more."

Ms Lang is also receiving sponsorship and all funds raised will go towards the Mental Health Foundation.

She already has 34 walkers signed up for the trek - four of whom are flying in from Melbourne - and will be tackling the South Island after having rested from her North Island walk.

For more information on the walk, contact Kylie Lang via email at kylie@walknz.org, or visit www.walknz.org

Donations can be made via www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/KylieLang/