A MAN based at Finley, in New South Wales, is on a mission to connect people within twenty-three towns in two states.<\/p>\n
Scott Vesty created a Facebook group called Around Mates and gathered over 400 members in its first week.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll my life I’ve been living with anxiety and depression,\u201d said he said. \u201cFor 17 years I kept it hidden, my parents, my family, my friends didn’t know, and I struggled with that alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust going through dark times and never feeling like I really had anyone to talk to, to where I am now, in a good place.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although Mr Vesty said it\u2019s a lot about supporting people\u2019s mental health, that\u2019s not the whole purpose of Around Mates.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want to help people because I know there are many people out there doing it tough in silence,\u201d he said. \u201cThey don’t feel they have anyone to talk to.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mental health side of it is a big part of it, but there’s also people that are new to the area or don’t have a lot of friends and want to grow their circle, that sort of stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of the group, Mr Vesty said he intends to hold a barbecue every two weeks at different towns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be going everywhere from Bendigo, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Echuca, all over that way, to places here like Griffith and Leeton,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe response is just incredible, it’s all been positive.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said he has asked for sponsors to purchase food and drinks for the events and Tweed Southerland First National Real Estate has agreed to sponsor the Bendigo Around Mates events.<\/p>\n
Jason Priestley from Tweed Southerland said the company likes to give back to the community where it can.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe like to spread our wings with all sorts of charities, and mental health is obviously one of those amongst other charities that we do support,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe connection through Scott just enabled us to have the opportunity to say yeah we\u2019d love to get on board.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although no date or location is set in stone, the first Bendigo event will most likely be held in June or July, at the barbecue area at Lake Weeroona.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A MAN based at Finley, in New South Wales, is on a mission to connect people within twenty-three towns in two states. Scott Vesty created a Facebook group called Around Mates and gathered over 400 members in its first week. \u201cAll my life I’ve been living with anxiety and depression,\u201d said he said. \u201cFor 17 […]<\/p>\n