Most of you may know me as a community advocate person, from Mount Druitt, and around The Bay & Basin area. I feel I have lived a life already within the Bay & Basin and it's really been over 3 years.
During this time, the people I have met are all great people, whether I have met them just walking down streets, in shopping hubs, doing voluntary work, or attending meetings within the Sanctuary Point community.
Awareness and prevention of suicide have been something that has made me have a keen interest in for the last 5 years.
In 2019 I organised a 'Hope Walk' around the Nepean River, had a short walk and a long walk of 6.4 km long and we would have had over 120 people participate. This was done with the support of the Western Sydney Suicide and Awareness Network. Also, I had also participated in a Hawkesbury Hope Walk earlier that year, which had at least 250 people.
In the Nepean Hope Walk, I pretty much knocked on the door of all chemists, doctor's surgeries, and funeral parlors between Penrith and Mount Druitt. I can tell you of an experience that happened, where I was touched here. A young lady who was a Chemist in the areas mentioned was handed the poster for the event and confirmed that she will ensure that the poster will be placed in a proper area of display for the public and that her colleagues will know about the event.
On the day of the event. Debbie, my wife advised me that a young lady who walked at the event needed the walk to make her feel better and she wanted to thank me for outreaching to her. The Hon. Federal Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh, her husband and children attended the walk as well as a representative from the Nepean Police Inspector and Wayne Willmington from Vintage Radio. I also had 2 singers/buskers from Mount Druitt that also kept us entertained and my Godfather Phillipe that turned up with a mate of his and provided the sausage sizzle and coffee.
I have walked at a Nepean Man's walk which had over 200 men on a Thursday night. Coffee was supplied by the Coffee Club. What was frightening for me, was suddenly talking to men that have considered taking their lives in several past attempts. I was speechless and felt lost as I was wondering how do I deal with this? The answer was simple. Just listen to the men that have these issues and let them have it off their chest. I felt whatever my reply or response was, was not working. When we finished the walk, the men that had these issues found me and said, 'Thank you' for just listening to them - they enjoyed that conversation. Then, I knew that the frightening thoughts I had previously had changed into a warm feeling of achievement. A sense that it might have brightened up their lives. We had councilors assisting during the walk.
Now I believe the Nepean Men's Walk also includes women in their walk!
Recently, I attended a Nowra Man walk in which we started walking at 6 am on a Saturday. It was a great walk that started from Kinghorn Bakery, Kinghorne Street, Nowra walked across the Shoalhaven River Bridge North turned around, and headed back to Kinghorne Bakery, where we all had a chat, coffee, and laughed.
Click here for Nowra Man Walk Facebook details
This is what has inspired me to help start a St Georges Basin Man Walk but I needed inspiration from a few other people. I got the inspiration from my wife, Peter 'Smokey' Dawson (Australian Singer), and other men who I had been speaking to around the area. Then, I was told the owners from Plough and Harrow Bakery, 1/20 Paradise Beach road, Sanctuary Point, are looking to support a Basin Man walk. Then I heard men were walking the 45 minutes, to measure what distance we would have to walk. And I had been speaking to Suzanne Freund a true advocate of awareness and prevention of suicide. She runs Mental Health First Aid courses around the Bay & Basin and is a member of SSPAN* and Allen Kruse from the Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc.
Finally, I wrote to Kate Darby, Secretary of SSPAN, asking if there is any funding available to provide free coffee. I was surprised when SSPAN agreed to provide funds of $250 per event (Monthly at this stage), when I only asked for $200.
I have since approached 2 members of the St Georges Basin Country Club and they think the Board would also financially support community events like this. I also have an understanding from Allen Kruse, President of Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc. that they will auspice the funds provided from SSPAN (yet to be confirmed at the next meetings of both organisations).
On Sunday I met Gary Simms, Ambassador of RU OK Day, and he will provide support at our walks when he is available.
The reason why I want this to happen is I do want all money transactions to be dealt with in an official manner so that the walk is self-managed. That is to say, if I couldn't make it for one event, everyone knows what to do: turn up at the Coffee shop (whichever one it is), take your coffee, and meet up with other men. Safely walk down to the Basin, stay together and take up to 45 minutes to walk and end back at the coffee shop, where men can decide to leave the event, stay and talk more at the back of the shops, and later on leave. Any coffees and/or beverages required at the end of the walk are at your own cost. During the St Georges Basin Man Walk, a photo or two will be taken, so we can post on our official Facebook Page (which will be set up soon). If you do not want your photo taken, please advise on the day.
The idea of the walk is to make men open more to other men, to meet men never met before, and create a sense of importance for and of each other. Men can help other men and it is important for men to do that.
For The Man Walk Facebook Page Click here
What's important in the man walk is that we walk, talk and support ones that are in need. This gives us the ability to connect with other men, strengthen communities, and may combat social isolation.
This week I have had the acceptance by Joe from Joe's Brekky and Brunch Cafe, 2/16 Paradise Beach Road, Sanctuary Point, to assist in this event by providing coffees, on alternate months.
Hello John
ReplyDeleteMy name is Daniel Thompson i am a ex mental health worker i have lived experience in mental health and i am a navy veteran. I would love to be apart of this in any way possible. I see you have a meeting in September to chat about this unfortunately I am unable to make this as i am qld visiting grandchildren. Would love to catch up for coffee and chat more thanks Dan
I am extremely have for your kind support - will email you...
ReplyDeleteThank you can't wait to hear from you. My best contact email is danmel7777@gmail.com
ReplyDelete