UCD students strip off for Christmas calendar

A group of UCD students has stripped naked for a Christmas calendar which aims to raise up to  €30,000 for a suicide prevention charity.

UCD Students Union has created the naked Christmas calendar as part of a major campaign to raise a total of  €100,000 for mental health organisation Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland (YSPI).

The union is hoping to sell 3,000 calendars throughout the college’s on-campus shops for  €10 each.

the union opted for the audacious option of asking participants to strip naked because they felt it was an effective way to, “draw attention to what we’re doing.”

“We've been accused of being off message but all our ideas are run by YSPI and they agree with our methods. We want to draw attention to what we're doing,” UCD Students Union president Marcus O’Halloran said.

Mr O’Halloran added that they are “going all out” for a charity that he believes is not being  supported by the Government.

“We need attention to get this much money together as charities like YSPI has a real need for resources which aren't being provided by Government.

We want to help expand and develop their schools visit programme, their 'Four Steps to Help' programme, and we're going all out to meet that end,” he added.

The campaign, which will culminate in a mass charity skydive expected to take place next year, has managed to raise over  €10,000 to date.

The union said it was determined to support the work of the YSPI amid rising suicide rates among young Irish males and females.

“Ireland has the 3rd highest youth suicide rate in the European Union. If you're a young Irish male between ages 12 - 21, you are more likely to die by suicide than by any other cause. YSPI receive no support from the state and are completely dependent on public donations. UCD Students' Union has committed to raising €100,000 because rates for suicide and self-harm are particularly high for young Irish women and men,” a statement from the union read.