General News
17 March, 2022
Music festival to promote mental wellbeing
MORTLAKE is set to play host to a country music festival which aims to shatter the negative stigma associated with mental health.
MORTLAKE is set to play host to a country music festival which aims to shatter the negative stigma associated with mental health.
Ray Anderson’s Music Homestead and the Let’s Talk Foundation will bring together a range of local country music acts for an eight-hour performance next weekend.
The performances will be intertwined with presentations from Let’s Talk representatives throughout the day, aiming to create a greater awareness for mental health issues and the importance of seeking help when help is needed.
Music Homestead secretary Julie Stewart-Murray said all involved were proud to help promote such a worthy message.
“The main aim of the festival will be to promote Let’s Talk and to give people a voice to feel confident in talking about any mental health issues they might have,” she said.
“Let’s Talk presenters will be up on stage throughout the day to do some presentations, talk about their own mental health issues and encourage people to reach out if they have any concerns.”
There will be no admission fee to the event with musicians and those involved donating their time to support the cause, however organisers are hoping patrons will provide a gold coin donation which will go to Let’s Talk.
“The idea behind running this festival is if it can help to save just one life, then it has well and truly paid for itself,” Ms Stewart-Murray said.
“We’ve had lots of musicians dedicate their time to supporting the festival and Ray Anderson, who runs the Music Homestead, has put up a stage outside in the open.
“We’re hopeful it will be a nice, pleasant relaxing day for people to listen to some music, have a chat and have a sociable day.”
Let’s Talk Foundation co-founder John Parkinson said it was hoped the festival setting could help to unite the community in a shared concern for the impacts of mental health issues.
“Our mission at Let’s Talk is to abolish the stigma associated with people who are suffering with mental illness so they are more likely to seek help, and to create more confidence in the community to check in on their loved ones when they are concerned about their mental health,” he said.
“We’ve been very fortunate that the community has come on board with this themselves. It’s never been a government initiative or funded by government, it’s purely a grassroots initiative which began back in 2006 because of the fear in the community on who would be next.
“That year, we lost 16 people by suicide that I am aware of.
“From our perspective, we continue to push forward with numerous events to maintain awareness that people shouldn’t hide.”
The festival starts Saturday, March 26 from 12noon to 8pm at 239 Mortlake-Framlingham Road.
Alcohol and chairs are BYO.
Anyone wanting to learn more about mental health can access a range of resources at www.letstalkaustralia.org.