BALLARAT Men\u2019s Mental Health\u2019s charity golf day is back for another year and aiming to raise awareness about the issue.<\/p>\n
The day is also the organisation\u2019s major fundraising event for the year.<\/p>\n
The golf day will include a barbeque, nearest the pin and longest-drive opportunities, the golden jacket competition and drinks at the clubhouse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe golf day started as an R U Okay? Day event by a group of local people after a couple of local men took their own lives some years ago,\u201d said group chair Andrew McPherson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThree years ago, that group asked if we\u2019d like to be involved and it\u2019s become a fundraiser for Ballarat Men\u2019s Mental Health.<\/p>\n
\u201cIts purpose is to raise awareness about men\u2019s mental health and start or keep the conversation going.\u201d<\/p>\n
This work is particularly important in Ballarat considering statistics in the region related to mental health.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ballarat region and Western Victoria has very poor statistics around men\u2019s mental health and also around suicide rates,\u201d said Mr McPherson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe created Ballarat Men\u2019s Mental Health to do something to respond to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organisation works to deliver affordable and accessible care for men in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe aim to provide services in the gaps where men have been missing out and men miss out on getting the care the need for a number of reasons such as it being too expensive,\u201d said Mr McPherson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf men struggle to make contact with us we go out looking through them through various means and make it easier for them.\u201d<\/p>\n