YOUTHS TACKLE THE MOURNE MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE CHALLENGE

This Saturday 25 April the successful Mourne Mountain Adventure is back with up to 400 youths aged between 13 and 18 years taking on the challenging task of navigating their way across the mountains. The event which was established in 2012 has exceeded all expectations with hundreds of young people across Northern Ireland enrolling every year to take on the challenging task. It was set up by both Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and the local Policing and Community Safety Partnership to engage with young people and divert them from engaging in anti-social behaviour and showcase the Mourne Mountains.

The youths who will set off in teams of four or six will take on either the Challenge or Expedition route. The Challenge route was designed for those individuals who have limited experience of mountain climbing whilst the expedition is for those who are more familiar with trekking through the mountains. It gives them the opportunity to engage in risk taking adventure through navigation whilst completing a number of demanding tasks on the mountains finishing in Silent Valley, Kilkeel.

On arrival to Silent Valley participants will be rewarded by taking part in a vast range of fun activities including archery, laser clay pigeon shooting and much more. As an added extra the Mourne Underwater Search Team (MUST) will be taking the youths on an exciting thrill ride on the RIBS in Kilkeel Harbour.

The event which is organised by seven main sponsors; Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, PCSP, NIFRS, PSNI, MOD, NI Water, CRS, MUST and many other agency support services will co-ordinate the training and delivery of this exciting outdoor event. The planning of the event has been on-going since last September and after months of preparations the agencies are ready to host this fantastic event.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chair, Naomi Bailie said, “This event is a great example of agencies working together for the benefit of young people in our community. Young people are vulnerable in our society and we have a responsibility to ensure we provide services to prevent them engaging in anti-social behaviour. This event gives them positive examples of how they can use their time constructively.”