Lorne to Fairhaven event smashes fundraising goal

THE Surf Coast community has come out in force to support a paddle/ride/run event for mental health.

The fourth edition of the Lorne to Fairhaven for Mental Health (L2F4MH) event concluded with organisers raising more than $20,000 for Movember.

Organiser James McGlashan said the event was a huge success.

“It was our biggest turn out yet, we had incredibly warm weather and incredibly large surf, which made for an exciting ending to the paddle.”

Despite the hectic conditions Mr McGlashan said participants managed to have a meaningful chat during the water segment.

“We had some good chats on paddle out, people I talked to were excited and others spoke about why they were doing it.”

Mr McGlashan staged the fourth edition of the event in memory of his good friend Finley Dale, who he lost to suicide in 2019.

The event started 10am at Lorne – the town where Mr McGlashan and Mr Finley first met – with participants then taking on a 13km paddle from Lorne to Fairhaven, a 32km ride from Fairhaven to Lorne and then back to Fairhaven, and a final 16km run from Fairhaven to Lorne.

Some participants completed all three legs, while others just joined in for one.

Mr McGlashan said this year’s L2F4MH also had the largest attendance at the post-event celebration and the auction raised more funds than any previous year.

The Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club donated wetsuits and surfboards to the auction they had received from the popular Netflix series Surviving Summer, with a surfboard from the show auctioned for $800.

The first L2F4MH event in 2021 drew six paddlers, four riders and seven runners, but it has grown year on year with the field expanding to more than 18 paddlers, 24 riders and 50 runners in 2024.

Donations are still open for L2F4MH – head to au.movember.com/team/2419990