Wellbeing SA funds critical event

Mental health advocate to tell his powerful story in Millicent

Kym Inglis is set to share his story this Friday – a powerful story at an event facilitated by the Wattle Range Suicide Prevention Network.

The locally based network was the recipient of a $6000 Wellbeing SA’s Suicide Prevention Community Grant earlier this year and the Kym Inglis event is set to be complemented by an accompanying education project.

Network spokesperson Marg Chapple said the Wellbeing SA funding had enabled the group to enlist mental health guest speaker Kym Inglis (pictured) for a community event, while an awareness campaign that the group had previously rolled out was set to be revisited and extended.

The awareness campaign is a revisiting of a campaign the network set up in its early years. It will see 20,000 coasters distributed throughout the Wattle Range area in pubs and sporting clubs with simple messages just reminding people to look after their mates. “We will basically be putting the coasters anywhere there is a bar,” Wattle Range Suicide Prevention Network spokesperson Marg Chapple said. “The funding has not only allowed us to get Kym (Inglis) to come and tell his story but also the designing and printing of approximately 20,000 coasters providing positive mental wellbeing messages on one side and support helplines listed on the other.

“We did the coaster project where we first set up the network and it was a good way to get those mental health conversations happening and letting people know where they can find help.”

Wellbeing SA’s Suicide Prevention Community Grants aim to help local groups deliver suicide prevention initiatives tailored to meet the needs of their community and groups, including the Wattle Range Suicide Prevention Network, received funds by demonstrating their ability to promote positive action and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and suicide through individual projects. The education session with Kym Inglis is on Friday, May 12 at 7pm at the Millicent Civic & Arts Centre.

“His story is about strength, resilience, courage, grief, vulnerability,” Marg said. Kym’s life changed in 2010 when he lost his wife and two children in a car accident. His story, in its humble delivery, touches raw spaces, expands hearts and strengthens resolve to dig deep amid adversity.

Kym aims to help humanity maintain hope and resilience, to remain open hearted and to encourage people to seek support. Supper will be provided for this free event so a RSVP for catering purposes can be made by emailing wattlerangespn@gmail. com or sending a message to their facebook page.

Local mental health advocate Tracey Wanganeen will also be part of the May 12 event.

“We are so grateful to have received the grant and to be able to hold the event and to be able to roll out the coasters which will be a great ongoing project,” Marg said.