Thank you to everyone who joined us for this year’s Blokes & Bridges Walk and helped create such a welcoming and supportive morning.
Despite a very chilly start, people came together to walk, share a cuppa and spend time connecting with others. It was a simple reminder of something at the heart of peer support: meaningful connection can make a difference to our wellbeing.
A different way to think about mental health
We were grateful to welcome Greg Hire from A Stitch in Time, who shared his personal experience and reflections on mental health.
Greg encouraged us to think about the time, money and effort we often invest in looking after our physical health, and what it might look like to make small, sustainable investments in our mental health too.
It opened up an important conversation about what “mental health” means to each of us and the different ways we can look after our wellbeing over time.
Rather than waiting until things become difficult, Greg’s reflections encouraged us to consider the everyday choices and connections that can help support our mental health.
The value of simply connecting
Blokes & Bridges isn’t about having all the answers.
Sometimes the value is simply in having somewhere to go, someone to walk alongside and an opportunity to have a conversation.
Whether people joined us for the walk, stayed for a cuppa, shared morning tea or spent time getting to know someone new, the morning highlighted the role that connection and community can play in supporting wellbeing.
It is also one of the reasons peer support matters. Being around people who are willing to listen, share their experiences and connect without judgement can create opportunities for conversations that may not happen elsewhere.
Community organisations joining us
We were pleased to be joined by Heart Support Australia and PROST Exercise 4 Prostate Cancer, who braved what may have been one of the coldest mornings of the year to spend time connecting with our community.
Bringing community and peer support organisations together gives people an opportunity to learn about the support available around them while creating connections between groups working towards healthier, more connected communities.
Thank you to everyone who made the morning possible
A special thank you goes to the Swan River Rowing Club, which welcomed Blokes & Bridges back for the third year in a row.
We are also grateful to Black Swan State Theatre Company and Drift Saunas for generously donating our door prizes.
And, most importantly, thank you to everyone who came along.
Every person who walked, talked, listened or simply spent some time with others helped create the welcoming atmosphere that made the morning what it was.
We look forward to walking together again.
