The #6B’s

helping to improve men’s health in the bush

BENJAMIN HAMILTON ADMINISTRATION, MARKETING & SALES, VEGETABLESWA

In 2017, Bradley Millstead, a sheep and wheat producer from Watheroo, came up with an idea on the back of an email sent to him from the Movember foundation.

It is not a formal organisation, and there is no set place or date.

Bradley Millstead said the idea was to get a group of guys together with the notion for men to discuss their mental health, and so the #6B’s (Blokes, Barbeque, Bonfire, Beers, Bonding and Bullshit) were born. “I said to a couple of mates, ‘what do you reckon about a barbecue and bonfire?” he said.

“It’s just a great neutral venue and sometimes a lot of barriers can come down, so blokes can talk more about what's actually going on.”

Beginning as a text message about a barbeque to a group of close friends, it has since developed into a concept to include general health and well-being and mental health. “As we age, our bodies change, [we discuss when] something doesn’t work like it used to work, or there’s a lump or a bump or something somewhere,” he said. “Getting a group of guys together and hearing somebody else talk about something that they’ve experienced — these conversations might spark further engagement and encourage someone to go and get themselves checked out.”

f BRAD Millstead at a #6B’s event.

The #6B’s is a notion. It is not a formal organisation, and there is no set place or date. It is about blokes encouraging others to connect and discuss issues with one another. If you would like to hold a #6B’s event please get in touch with Brad through the #6B’s website and he will happily help. www.6bs.com.au/

index.php

1 Blokes are often forgotten. We need to promote that it is excellent being a bloke, and we need to embrace and cherish it to put more effort into ourselves. 2 BBQ is a great cooking apparatus enjoyed by all. It is also a place where blokes also like to hang out and relax. 3 Bonfire is the key component for a #6B’s. Not all blokes enjoy sport or a pub, but I am yet to find a bloke who doesn’t enjoy being around a bonfire, making it a perfect venue. 4 Beers can be an excellent lubricant to start some conversations between blokes to share their stories.

However, we are not condoning or encouraging alcohol; it is fair to say that beers are a part of most blokes’ diet. 5 Bonding is something that many men, as we age, can easily fall out of practice. As our lives get busier and pressures amount, we forget to bond and converse with other blokes. 6 Bullshit is a pretty natural outcome to an evening combining the 5 B’s above! All part of life is a good bullshit session to keep everyone laughing at themselves and each other.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information, visit:

www.6bs.com.au/index.php

If you are feeling lonely or experiencing mental health issues, contact: • Regional Men's Health Initiative on (08) 9690 2277 or

https://regionalmenshealth.com.au

• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or www.beyondblue.org.au • MensLine on 1300 78 99 78 or https://mensline.org.au/ • Virtual Psychologist on

https://virtualpsychologist.com.au/ contact/