Your monthly update from the Mental Health Foundation
Kia ora Friend,
As we return to working, playing and socialising more freely at Alert Level 1, there are many small joys to celebrate – including the positive efforts of our Mental Health Foundation team, partners and fundraisers through lockdown and beyond.
In this issue of In Touch, check out a new blog from Mental Health Foundation senior policy advisor Janet McAllister. Her blog showcases how we helped advocate for a key change in a proposed law extending emergency police powers.
Get inspired by Joe Benbow, a passionate runner who completed an 85km ultramarathon during Alert Level 2 to raise funds for mental health.
Read about the Farmstrong programme's big birthday and how the programme is helping farmers across New Zealand live well to farm well.
Join Sir Mason Durie (Ngāti Rangitane, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa) and Michael Naera (Te Arawa) for a pre-recorded kōrero about whānau and COVID-19.
Find out why the Foundation is set to receive an electric Hyundai Kona, after a jammy hole-in-one shot by Australian golfer Sam Eaves.
Finally, if you're eager to be more active, why not get moving for mental health? Visit our website to find a running/walking event near you, register and get moving!
Thank you to everyone who has donated and fundraised during lockdown and beyond. We really appreciate it.
Nāku iti nei,
Jo and the team at the Mental Health Foundation
Influencing pandemic policy – under pressure
In mid-May, Parliament was set to pass a public health bill that would extend the police's emergency powers to enter a property, including marae, without a warrant.
Because those extraordinary powers could pose unnecessary risks to mental wellbeing for whānau and minority groups, the Mental Health Foundation Policy & Advocacy team leapt into action, quickly advocating for a change in the bill.
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Read more
Running Door2Door for mental health
In March, passionate runner and ultramarathoner Joe Benbow was training for his next big race when COVID-19 changed everything. Major running events were cancelled and New Zealand's lockdown was about to start.
During a run with friends, the Wellington-area family man and Westpac consultant decided he wouldn't let the cancellations keep him – and fellow Kiwis – down.
Inspired by others, he challenged himself to raise $1,000 for the Mental Health Foundation by running 85km from his home in Karori to the family bach in Te Horo Beach.
He trained for his Door2Door Ultra 2020 marathon during lockdown – without ever leaving his bubble or his neighbourhood!
Read Joe's story
Farmstrong turns five
This month Farmstrong turns five! Launched in 2015 with funding from Movember and the Mental Health Foundation, Farmstrong shares farmer-to-farmer tips, real-life stories and practical resources to help farmers and their families cope with the ups and downs of farming.
Key to its success is the willingness of farmers and growers to share their stories and insights – more than 18,000 farmers and growers got involved in the last year alone!
Farmstrong is making a real difference. In 2019, 20% of farmers and growers (10,000) attributed an improvement in their wellbeing to their involvement in Farmstrong.
Read more about Farmstrong
A kōrero about whānau and COVID-19
Join Sir Mason Durie (Ngāti Rangitane, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa) and Michael Naera (Te Arawa) for a pre-recorded webinar about whānau and COVID-19.
Together, they discuss how past pandemics have affected Māori and what this tells us about how COVID-19 has affected and will continue to impact Māori. They also explore the importance of whānau decision-making, whānau support, whānau protection, whānau connection and whānau workers.
The Kōrero with Sir Mason Durie video is just one in a series of kōrero that Michael is having with well-known Māori leaders.
Watch the kōrero
Golf wins a Hyundai for MHF
Thanks to a jammy hole-in-one shot by Australian golfer Sam Eaves ‒ and the kindness of Hyundai ‒ the Foundation is set to receive an electric Hyundai Kona. Sam nailed the shot during Hyundai New Zealand's Drive For Good event, which gave players at the New Zealand Golf Open the chance to play for charity.
We sincerely thank Sam for the great shot, and everyone in New Zealand who voted for us as the charity that most deserved to win the car. We'll use the Kona to help deliver resources, tools and training across Aotearoa.
Read more
Get moving for mental health
While the world recently pressed pause, the Mental Health Foundation's mahi kept going.
Running events that would usually raise close to $200,000 from March until June were postponed or cancelled… so it's been tough making up the shortfall.
Now's the time to step it up again. If you would like to help us, why not get moving for mental health? Check out our website to find a running/walking event near you, register and get your body moving!
Find an event
We want to say a huge thank you to the workplaces who support to our mahi through payroll giving, corporate donations and staff fundraising! If you want to get your workplace involved with mental health and wellbeing activities and fundraising, please reach out to Alanna, our workplace and campaigns officer.
We also wish to acknowledge all the people who attended the recent Open Minds webinars. Thank you.
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