A CHURCHILL man has taken upon himself to do something proactive about mental health awareness.

Shane Kenny won 2015 Escort of the Year and will be back again this year to defend his title as well as looking after his chosen Rose.

The 24-year-old along with fellow escort Eoin O’Mahony from Galway are fronting the ‘Unmask For Pieta’ mental health campaign with all proceeds going to Pieta House.

Taking part in the campaign are 45 escorts and roses from last year’s festival. They were asked to create masks that portray the emotions experienced at difficult moments in their lives in hope of creating dialogue though people’s interpretations of the masks.

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“Behind these masks are frank and revealing real life stories,” said Shane Kenny.

Over the past two months Shane received masks from such far flung places as Sydney and Arizona and some people are coming to deliver the masks personally next week.

The masks will go on public display at the Rose Hotel during the festival from Wednesday, August 17 to Tuesday, August 23.

The campaign, which will be officially launched in the Rose Hotel on Sunday, August 21 at 11am. It has been officially backed by both Pieta House and the Rose of Tralee festival.

Pieta House seeks to reach out to people who are feeling suicidal or depressed. The organisation are behind the very successful ‘Darkness into Life’ walk and have a local centre in Moyderwell.

To support the ‘Unmask For Pieta campaign online ‘like’ the campaigns page on Facebook  and follow on Twitter

To donate the ‘Unmask For Pieta’ fundraiser page is HERE