Young Newry man to feature on Countryfile Ramble for BBC Children in Need

Twenty-year-old Fionntan will join Margherita Taylor in a ramble around the beautiful grounds and the surrounding hills of Castlewellan Forrest Park in Northern Ireland.

The ramble will be filmed and broadcast in a special programme ‘The Countryfile Ramble for BBC Children in Need’ on Sunday, October 29 on BBC One.

Fionntan grew up in an isolated and rural village where he came out as a teenager to his community and found friendship and acceptance when he joined BBC Children in Need funded project, Crisis Café.

The project has provided Fionntan with the tools he needed to support his overall wellbeing. He now volunteers at Crisis Café and is on the Board of Directors.

The project delivers bespoke mental health services to young people affected by a range of issues, and aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental health.

Crisis Café delivers a non-judgmental space where young people like Fionntan can feel less isolated and build confidence and self-esteem.

Crisis Café has encouraged Fionntan to speak openly about his feelings and issues that have affected his mental wellbeing such as his sexuality, body image and experiencing bullying in his younger years.

Since attending the project Fionntan has grown in confidence and self-esteem and now expresses himself through his love of music and is in a band.

Crisis Café is a youth-led project that encourages peer to peer support, as well as clinical support in a relaxed environment. The project sees active members come together as a community to help to plan events, and activities whilst also going into schools as Ambassadors.

Ahead of his Ramble, Fionntan said: “I want to encourage as many people as possible to get Rambling and to help raise funds for children and young people. Challenge yourself and make a difference!”

Crisis Café currently receives a grant of £59,500 from BBC Children in Need, over three years. Funding provides two mental health practitioners and a range of activities for young people with mental health issues, to enable them to build confidence and be equipped with the techniques to support their overall wellbeing.