Big Blue Table For Mental Health Month

October is Mental Health Month, and a local counselling service has brought the community together to raise awareness through their Big Blue Table morning tea event.

Phoenix Counselling hosted a morning tea last Thursday, October 6 for Big Blue Table, a fundraiser supporting Beyond Blue.

“We decided to get involved with the Big Blue Table due to the fact that they support suicide prevention and counselling,” said Robyn Geiger of Phoenix Counselling.

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15 to 49, with the suicide rate in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples double that of their non-Indigenous counterparts.

“It’s imperative that we get those statistics out there,” said Robyn.

“It’s really important to raise awareness.

“We like to let people know that they can ask us or find out a bit more information.”

Robyn has already reached her fundraising goal of $300 but says donations are still able to be made through the Big Blue Table website.

Customers of Bohemian Elyse, the café at which the morning tea was hosted, were also able to make a donation throughout the day with their purchases and received a gift bag to say thanks.

Local organisations were invited to the morning tea including Marabisda, Selectability and OneLife.

“All of these places, we all have a common interest which is the welfare and wellbeing of our youth and everybody in Mackay,” said Robyn.

Local sporting organisations including the Mackay Cutters and Brothers Netball were also involved.

“They’re all dealing with youth in that age group so it’s important that they know where to go and what to do if someone says that they’re not coping,” said Robyn.

“I’m really appreciative of the support that they’re giving.

“For everybody that comes here, they’ll go away and tell somebody else about it.

“It’s a domino effect in passing on that information.”

Donations can be made to Beyond Blue’s Big Blue Table at bigbluetable.com.au.

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