Eastland starts a mental wellbeing conversation

To boost awareness around mental health, MTA Eastland committee are hosting a mental health and wellbeing event hosted by The Rock Morning Rumble’s Bryce Casey.

Eastland Chair Kelly Stephens says the challenges around mental health and wellbeing is very real on the East Coast and the event is something the committee has been wanting to do for a while.

“Having Bryce doing the talk is a great way to introduce the members to options for support and get the conversation started,” she says.

“For all of us on the committee we have seen a lot of people under stress and have also heard about a lot under stress.

“Suicide rates in the Hawke’s Bay are high and it is something we have been wanting to do

Bryce Casey

As the 2020 Sir Paul Holmes Broadcaster of the Year, Bryce Casey is at the epicentre of TV and radio in New Zealand.

Bryce has made appearances as a guest host on 7 Days and The Project and is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, bringing joy and light into dark conversations.

After burying a fourth friend, Bryce made the decision to be vulnerable.

He brought his grief and honesty to his radio show, leading to a swell of movement from listeners.

He integrated ‘Gumboot Friday’ into his show, bowled for 58 hours straight, one minute for every Kiwi who tried to take or succeeded in taking their life in 2018, and raised $366,602.

something about for a while,” Kelly says.

“We also want to make MTA members aware of the tools that are available through the MTA as well as a localised East Coast free initiative that some of our members are rolling out called Mates 4Life, a mental health mentoring programme.”

Mates4Life Hawke’s Bay (M4LHB)

This is a suicide awareness and prevention programme being delivered to workplaces and organisations across Hawke’s Bay (from Wairoa to Dannevirke).

Over the last three years Bryce has raised $1.3 million for Mike King’s I AM HOPE Foundation for free mental health counselling, earning him a nomination for New Zealander of the Year in 2020. Bryce takes his honesty into all parts of his life, opening up about his and his wife’s struggle to have babies.

He wants to relate to people, let them know they are not alone, and encourage that dialogue in coming together.

“I’m genuinely looking forward to coming to the Bay. It’s where my family are, and it’s where I’ve spent a lot of my life at different stages, I’m deeply aware of the struggle that’s been and remains there so it’ll be great to come have a yarn and say gidday,” says Bryce. The event will be hosted by MTA

The programme is delivered by the Mates of Hawke’s Bay Charitable Trust, a not-forprofit entity that enables it to be delivered at no cost to the employer or organisation. The aim of Mates4Life is to provide a long-term, sustainable, no barriers suicide awareness and prevention training approach that is specific to the needs of workplaces and communities within Hawke’s Bay. To get involved with the Eastland committee, contact Natalie Campbell on 021 414665 or Natalie.campbell@mta.org.nz

Eastland in Havelock North on Friday 29 September at the Havelock North Function Centre, starting at 6.30pm. Tickets are $20pp and are available on MTA’s website.

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