Charlotte Varcoe
MEALS, mates and mental health was of high priority for more than 100 people over the weekend.
Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation members travelled to the Penola Coonawarra region, promoting and breaking down barriers around mental health.
During the visit, mental health first aid trainers from the foundation visited both Lucindale Area School and Penola High School, providing mental health young awareness programs.
On Saturday night, Raidis Estate was buzzing with activity with Breakthrough chief executive officer John Mannion hosting the Meals, Mates and Mental Health dinner alongside South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.
Jess Adamson spearheaded the discussion with Coonawarra Running Festival chairperson Sandra Wallis also taking the stage.
Attendees also participated in an entertaining and intimate exercise before Cecelia Ronson ended the night with a comedy act.
Speaking with SA Today, Mr Mannion said Breakthrough had a great relationship with the Penola Wellness Group which spearheaded the Coonawarra Running Festival for the last four years.
“They have been an incredible support to Breakthrough,” Mr Mannion said.
“What we wanted to do was have the opportunity of bringing some training, some education, some mental health conversations all in a safe environment but do it in a way where it actually becomes more social so it normalises the mental health conversation.”
He said the Coonawarra committee was brilliant and the group of volunteers who did this wanted to make a difference in the community.
“For us as a foundation we want to be able to support them to do that because every part of the work we do is really dependent on communities giving us that support as not-for-profit,” Mr Mannion.
“We could not do anything without community activities taking place without people doing fundraising events and the marathon and the running festival is a beautiful example of that.”
During the week, Mr Mannion had staff throughout the community providing mental health training.
“I got to listen to the principal of one of the schools on the radio yesterday who had gone into one of the sessions,” he said.
“He then stayed in the sessions with the parents and he was talking about the conversations which had been happening afterwards with the children who have now been empowered and they are having more mental health conversations than we have ever had.”
Mr Mannion said now there was an opportunity to learn from the children and encouraged other parents with children who took part to sit down and have a conversation with them.
“Find out what the areas they are talking about and the new skills they are learning and from Breakthroughs perspective, community connection is vital for everything we do and we want to be able to support our community to look after their mental health and their wellbeing,” Mr Mannion.
Ms Wallis said the committee was thrilled with the turnout, stating the community was lucky Breakthrough had come through for them.
“The importance of this event just shows that Breakthrough are committed to our community,” Ms Wallis said.
“We think this program from the running festival that Breakthrough has brought to our area is amazing and we are so thrilled.
“Hopefully we can get a few more schools involved which would be brilliant.”
She said the more people who would hear about the program would get more schools involved and thanked the foundation for the initiative.
Mr Stevens also commented on the number of attendees on Saturday night, stating he would have done it if there had been 10 or 100 people there.
“John called me as a member of the Breakthrough board and explained the running festival and how it could not go ahead this year,” Mr Stevens said.
“He asked if I would be willing to step in and do something different and I said yes without knowing much more about it.”
He said he was pleased he decided to join the event, labelling the Penola community as a great one he loved to support.
“I am really happy to support it and destigmatise the conversation around mental health and getting people to understand that you do not know what pathway people are travelling,” Mr Stevens said.
“The best thing you can do is be there for the people you are about and know how to do that.”
He said it was great to see a room full of people on the Saturday night, stating it was what regional communities were all about.
“They participate and get behind these sorts of events so I am not surprised that we got a room full of people,” Mr Stevens said.
“It has always been my view that regional communities, no matter what part of the community you are from, have a stronger bond than what you see in wider metropolitan areas.”
He said he was not surprised about the diversity of attendees either and was pleased to be a guest speaker.
“I really love the South East, we have got a strong connection to the South East and just any excuse to get out of the city and come down, I will take it,” Mr Stevens said.
A purple post was also unveiled the following day with Breakthrough inviting the community to sponsor yet another post with all funds going to next year’s running festival.
