The magic of meeting your virtual friends in real life .....and walking together from 'Darkness into Light' next weekend!

LWS Meet Up in London.....and becoming an ambassador for something very important to me....

This week’s substack is in the format of a video I put together of the meet up I had last week with some of the greatest people I know. It was the meeting of a wonderful community in which I am lucky enough to be part of - London Writer’s Salon. I joined this group as I formulated the idea of writing my book back in January 2022 and I’ve never looked back. If anything I have thrived as a writer and a communicator ever since finding these people…. I love each and everyone of these beautiful faces so much and all the many others who i’ve been so lucky to get to know but I still have to meet. Our time will come ;)

A huge thanks to Matt and Parul who run LWS and a huge thanks to all the writers who make our community so special.

Hope you enjoy my little video of the night we all met in London :)

I’d love if you might leave a comment below if you enjoy these weekly posts ;)

Thanks a million for your support :)

Lots of love and light,

Lou x

**'Granny Nancy - The Story of Ireland’s Oldest Lady’ - is available to purchase from www.livingandlaughingwithlou.com

www.loucoghlan.com

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***Also next Saturday morning (May 6th) at 4.15am I will take part in Darkness into Light Walk in Edenderry, county Offaly. This walk is a fundraiser for Pieta and is an awareness campaign to help anyone who is feeling low or if the darkness gets too heavy. We all walk together around Ireland and around the world at 4.15am and walk from darkness into light…It is the most emotional walk you will ever take and I’d love if you might like to join me.

You can register to walk with me on www.darknessintolight.ie and you can take part with a friend in your own area or you can join locations. I spotted the Irish Pastoral Centre is doing it in Boston and I know a few of my favourite people are doing it there to join me in this walk. Also I’d love if you were near Edenderry, you might join me in doing it. I am an ambassador for this and I am honoured to be connected to such a worthy cause to try and help all and anyone who might be feeling low. We are all just a moment away from things being heavy in our lives and in our heads…It is not easy to keep looking up and the most important thing to me is that no matter what we keep the light shining for each other on this path called life….Together we can lift the dark and together we can help each other through heavy times. Together we can be the light! Here’s a little bit more information about Darkness into Light :) This is a video I created in talking about it more: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=9635139123177772

Thank you for reading this;

About Darkness Into Light

Darkness into Light is organised by Pieta and proudly supported by Electric Ireland since 2013. It is a global movement dedicated to ending suicide and supporting those who engage in self-harm. By taking part in Darkness Into Light, participants play an important role in removing the stigma around suicide and self-harm as well as raising vital funds to fight suicide.

In 2009, in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, 400 people set-off on the inaugural Darkness into Light 5km walk to raise funds for Pieta. From small beginnings, the movement has grown year on year. In 2022, over 115,000 people supported Darkness into Light across the world to support Pieta’s services for those in suicidal distress and bereavement bereaved through suicide.

Darkness Into Light raises money to keep Pieta open and run the 24/7 helpline for people in crisis, free of charge. Pieta and Electric Ireland are asking the communities in Ireland and beyond to do what they can for Darkness Into Light on May 6 th .

About Pieta

Pieta was established in Lucan, Co. Dublin, in 2006. Pieta’s services are available to anyone affected by suicide or self-harm. One-to-one therapy is available nationwide over the phone, by video and in one of 20 centres located nationwide. The Suicide Bereavement Liaison Officers are available the families and communities in the immediate aftermath of a suicide throughout Ireland. Pieta therapists are all fully qualified and the service is free of charge. Pieta also operates the free 24-hour suicide helpline for people in crisis on 1800 247 247 or by texting the word HELP to 51444 (st’d msg rates apply). For more information, visit www.pieta.ie life-saving services.