The Man Walk - ST Georges Basin - (Yuin) hits record walkers

Congratulations guys, we have hit a new record of 7-9 walkers today at The Man Walk St Georges Basin. Why was it 7-9 walkers? Simply because we had 6 of our local men and David, visiting from Husikisson The Man Walk ( 2nd time - another new record), 6 of our local men and 2 new Man walkers who came to see how our man walk at the start was. They had another appointment for breakfast elsewhere and left us after coffee. These two men advised they would get other men to come to our walk and will be back here again.

That's why 7 - 9 men walkers! We had 6 walkers that had been with us before: Stephen Hall who came back after 5 - 6 weeks break and enjoy the walk with us, Thank you to David Wells, Gunther Hesse, John Thomason ( John Number 2), Lindsay Allen and then we had Maurie & Bruce who will be back with more men.

It's actually a great feeling how our local group is building momentum and how every man who walks with us enjoys the walk as I do as well. This is not the work that I have done, this is all due to the work that all of you are doing. I feel so impressed with how we are travelling with this very important community walk for men.

And seeing each man here today, made me feel so proud from where we started on 15th October 2022, when we had the first walk with 2 men.

Thank you to Bernadette Harvey from @providencebluecafe for providing coffees and to Wendi Stranger from SSPAN*, for funding our coffees.

We hope we see more men from our facebook group and community come to our walks, at their own leisure. It is now getting to a stage, that company will always be appreciated.

Thanks to Lindsay Allen for taking photos and there's a photograph of David from Husky TMW, proof of him being from Husky. Thank you David for your attendance.

#themanwalk #themanwalkstgeorgesbasin #walktalkandsupport

Click here for the The Man Walk - St Georges Basin (Yuin) facebookgroup

The Man Wak - St Georges Basin - Current Update & Dates for September 2023

#themanwalk #walktalkandsupport #themanwalkstgeorgesbasin #yuincountry

The Man Walk today had a great response from men who like to get together to walk, talk and support each other around a great environment.

Well, may I say that I am always proud when 1 man turns up @ The Man Walk - St Georges Basin (Yuin). Today, we had 4 men turn up: two of them new Saturday Morning Walkers, all from The Basin area. Thank you to Clive Robertson, Gunther Hesse & Lindsay for attending the walk.

Conversations were about living amongst the beauty of The Basin, local buses (my fault), waste disposal processes, housing availability for land within the Basin, Cleaner foreshores around the Basin, The Basin Walk, next month's walk schedule, as well as many other items of discussion.

On that note, I would like to invite The Man Walk - St Georges Basin (Yuin) - all Ward 2 Councillors from Shoalhaven City Council, to the Man Walk on Saturday 9th, starting at 6.30 am @ Plough & Harrow, Sanctuary Point: John Kotlash, Paul Ell, Evan Christen & Greg Watson. This is so, we can share thoughts on issues of importance, in a way that it can be appreciated. It would be nice it they all came together!

So next month, we will be holding The Man Walk - St Georges Basin (Yuin) as follows:

Friday, 1st - starting from Plough & Harrow Bakery, Sanctuary Point - - 5.30 pm

*Saturday, 9th - starting from Plough & Harrow Bakery, Sanctuary Point - 6.30 am

Friday, 15th - starting from Plough & Harrow Bakery, Sanctuary Point - 5.30 pm

*Saturday, 23rd - Starting from Plough & harrow Bakery, Sanctuary Point - 6.30 am

Friday 29th - Starting from Plough & Harrow, Bakery, Sanctuary Point - 5.30 pm

See any of you or all of you at the next walk!

Click here for details of The Man Walk

Click here for the previous post

The Man Walk - St Georges Basin - Leads The Way

Here we are with the 2nd The Man Walk - St Georges Basin which has doubled in numbers since the Launch in October 2022.

With the first walk launch Click here for details, I had to take a long look at what had happened, wondering if it was a success. The problem was I set expectations for myself, which I think we all do to our very ourselves. Those expectation goals would be set high.

Because I decided to launch 'The Man Walk - St Georges Basin' the same day as the Spring Into Sanctuary Point Fair, I really thought men would have being coming in their tens. So, because I undermined the numbers that turned up at the first, I have since removed all expectations and know that every walk itself, will be a success. Yes, the first walk was a success as there were two of us. The two of us had a great conversation for the period of time we walked.

We both benefitted from each other's conversation and felt that this new walk would take time, to bring more men together to walk, talk and support each other. And today proved this to be right.

Setting up a diary event on the Facebook Page was great as I was able to gauge the interested men who wanted to turn up to their first walk. 

On the first walk, I was making sure I was early. Today, I was early and the other three men were waiting for me. This to me, showed how important was the walk to them. Whether they were coming to provide support, just join in and participate in an important positive conversation or even came to seek advice and help, or just listen.

At this point, I would like to advise that while organizations like 'RU OK Day' ask if you are OK - the real thing is it is alright not to be OK. This is one thing that the average person may not understand this view or statement.

Asking the question, once a year on RU OK Day 'Are you OK', is a good thing but we really need to use these words a lot more than once a year. We may then need to listen and try to understand their current feelings.

With, 'It is OK not to be Ok, it places the person that listens to this in a relaxed state. You can also tell them, 'It is OK to ask for help'. 

Today, speaking to all the men that attended 'The Man Walk - St Georges Basin' - we all learned from each other. Especially me, learning how there is more of a call for men to meet, walk and talk and support each other.

I call on more men from within the Basin area to attend this walk, encourage others to attend, and enjoy each one's company. As this man's walk grows, we strengthen our communities, build on social capital, and combat isolation by connecting men to walk, talk and support.

Subjects basically discussed today were: 

• Keeping the start of the man walk to 6 am and to once a month for now. 
• Lack of medical doctors/specialists in our area and the ones we have been snowed under with work.
• Mental First Aid Courses availability for businesses and the same courses support children through their education. 
• To combat men's isolation, there need to be so many choices available for men to use different ways of getting themselves out of feeling isolated: Take the next step. It was mentioned that attending 'The Man Walk' was one option to assist men who feel isolated or alone.
• And many more things....

Now, I feel 'The man Walk - St Georges Basin' is leading the way now

First 'The Man Walk - St Georges Basin' Was launched

☺Well, we had 2 men today at our new walk - the rain withheld from pouring down - was a beautiful morning. And the coffee from 

Plough & Harrow Bakery Sanctuary Point.

Now, is the time to say thank you for launching the man walk - St Georges Basin:

The Man Walk - funding promotional material

Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention& Awareness Network - funding for the coffee

Gary Simms Manbassador for RU OK Day

Finally Phillips MP for Gilmore for providing awareness of our man's walk on her Facebook Page

David Selwood Anytime Fitness provides one month free memberships for any men that attend the walk Bay & BasinCommunity Resources - on their community Page

between the Flags, Sanctuary Point - provided an attendance book

All members of The Man Walk - St Georges Basin Facebook Page

Interviews with Bay & Basin 927fm & 2UUU Community Radio Stations & Riley and Abbie from Power FM &

Stephen Brown from Bay & Basin 927fm

Overall, I am pleased there were 2 men that came to the walk launch. Was I disappointed? No. Could there have been more men at The man walk? Maybe, but I have to understand that each walk is not compulsory

Click here for the previous post

The Man Walk - St Georges Basin Walk - Facebook Page Is Up & Running

We have got The Man Walk - St Georges Basin Facebook Page up and running. So any men that are within the St Georges Basin area who would like to share it with other men, please do so and join the group.

Click here for further website details

Click here for the Facebook Page Details

Why am I supporting 'The Man Walk', it is pretty simple! From statistics, 75% of men lose their lives through suicide, which is a higher percentage than women, in Australia*. That means men need more help to deal with life. So, men need to be given more opportunities to open up and talk. Men may be afraid to open up and talk either to their partners, family, and/or friends. Men may be living more isolated than women either through homelessness or being housed. So, my role is to spread the word about this important walk for men and make it easier to walk and talk in a positive environment.

 We thank our The Man Walk - St Georges Basin Donors/Funders:

1. Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention & Awareness Network for donating funds of $250 per event to supply the coffee

 Click here for details

2. Pough and Harrow Bakery Click here for Their Facebook Page and Joe's Brekky & Brunch Cafe  & Click here for the Facebook Page for offering their services to provide coffee to the men on alternate months.

3. Sanctuary Point Community Pride Inc.Click here for the Facebook Page to auspice funds received from Shoalhaven Suicide Prevention & Awareness network

4. Anytime Fitness Gym, Vincentia  for a donation of 10 free one-month memberships to any man that attends The Man Walk - St Georges Basin

Event details: The launch of The Man Walk - St Georges Basin will be at 6am, Saturday 22nd October 2022, at Plough & Harrow Bakery and alternatively at Joe's Brekky and brunch as of Saturday,19th November 2022, same time. Free coffee will be provided at the beginning of the walk.

Click here for the previous post 

*Click here for details from Lifeline