Mental Health in the spotlight with FIFOman at The Lunch to Leave No-one Behind

AN inaugural event to raise funds to combat mental ill-health in mining, agriculture and indigenous communities, known as The Lunch to Leave No-one Behind, will be hosted next month in Toowoomba. 

With an aim to raise $10,000 for Rural & Remote Mental Health (RRMH), the Friday December 9 event is being planned by March IT Director - Business Development Geoff Marsh. 

Mr Marsh said fly-in fly-out worker Luke Baker, better known as FIFOman, would speak at the lunch and share his experiences at camps around Australia. 

The community fundraising event is also planned to be the first step in ongoing support for the not-for-profit RRMH from Toowoomba businesses. 

“We are pleased to announce that New Hope Group have confirmed their support of The Lunch as the major corporate partner,” Mr Marsh said.

New Hope Group’s partnership with The Lunch to Leave No-One Behind and RRMH is part of a wider program to deliver targeted, culturally specific mental health literacy training in the Toowoomba and Western Downs regions.

RRMH develops and implements mental health awareness, prevention and intervention programs specifically for rural and remote communities – leaving no-one behind.

A number of corporate partners have committed $4,900 to date to ensure the attendees’ ticket price goes directly to the beneficiary of this event, Rural and Remote Mental Health,” Mr Marsh said.

“RRMH programs are making a difference for people, especially men, in rural and remote communities and they are taking action to change the statistics around suicide.” 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed that in 2015 there were 3,027 people who died by suicide; 2,292 men and 735 women.

The fundraiser will have a panel discussion around mental health as well as a speaker from RRMH. 

“March It is an ACMA licensed telecommunications carrier that works to reduce isolation in communities by connecting people with reliable telecommunications systems in remote and challenging locations,” Mr Marsh said.

"We are passionate about reducing the impact of isolation from family, friends and head office by providing reliable telecommunications to remote places.”

"We understand the impact of being separated from family, friends and colleagues in head office, and that’s why we are passionate about this project and hosted this event.”

March IT have recently upgraded from Gold to Platinum members of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise, and are looking to use their extensive track record and capability to further connect remote sites around the country.

The event will be held at Muller Bros, 25 Bell St, Toowoomba City from 11.30am until 2pm.

Tickets to The Lunch to Leave No-One Behind are $65 per person and include a welcome drink on arrival, sit down lunch with Churrasco meats (beef, chicken and pork on offer, vegetarian available by request) and starting wine on the tables.

Book tickets here.