Dillon Lamb has helped organise the No One Walks Alone event. Photo / Grace Odlum
Dillon Lamb has helped organise the No One Walks Alone event. Photo / Grace Odlum
With Foxton’s annual suicide awareness event No One Walks Alone coming up, one local artist knew it was something he wanted to get behind.
Dillon Lamb, who goes by Dilz, said he first got involved in the event last year because a podcast he was doing at the time alignedwith the purpose of the event.
He also went to school with Josh Larsen, whose death by suicide was the catalyst for the event.
Josh’s uncle, Dan Taylor, came up with the idea of No One Walks Alone (NOWA) as a way to bring people together and to gather up those who are, or have been, affected by suicide. By walking together, the idea is to show there is always someone there to listen or to help.
Lamb said the event was a meaningful way to deliver a powerful message.
“Not only does the day resonate with me because of the purpose, but the initial concept of the day launching was in relation to this person that I knew personally.”
The organisers of the event got behind Lamb’s Te Awahou Mini Fest last month, so he said he wanted to return the favour and help with their event.
“I ended up putting my own money into it and paying a graphic designer on my team to pull together a new flyer – I wanted it to be the best it could be.”
Emma Corlett will be the guest speaker at the No One Walks Alone event.
Lamb tapped into his networks to get other people on board – including fellow hip-hop artist King Cass who is flying from Christchurch to perform at the event, and recovering meth addict Emma Corlett, of Taranaki, who will be the guest speaker at the event.
“[Emma’s] journey is one of those ones that aligns with the kaupapa – she went through addiction and has overcome it and is speaking on it which is breaking the stigma.
New Zealand singer-songwriter and producer Che Fu, too, will be performing at the event, plus Lamb himself.
Lamb said while he didn’t directly organise this event, he had helped piece the puzzle together.
“And it’s because it’s a day that I actually really believe in and that’s why I want to see it be successful.”
The event is now in its fifth year, and Lamb said plenty would be happening on the day, with a wide range of activities, games and food, all free.
There will also be the walk itself, which starts from the front of Te Waiora health centre in Ladys Mile and heads to the water tower, or Paretao, the Māori name for the old pā kainga on the site. There will be karanga, karakia and a time to remember those who have died.
