Plumbers raise over $20,000 in suicide prevention walk
More than 60 plumbers and supporters walked nine kilometres to raise over $20,000 for suicide prevention.
Wade Smith Plumbing organised the Walk out of the Shadows event at Wodonga's Sumsion Gardens on Thursday. This was the third year of the fundraiser.
The nine-kilometre distance represents the average number of Australians who die by suicide each day. The fundraising goal of $20,000 was surpassed before the group even began.
The event started after a staff member lost a friend to suicide after the 2019, 20 Upper Murray bushfires. The walk gets people talking about mental health.
Young men especially don't usually speak up. Corryong teacher and author Sarah Harris partnered with the plumbing business.
She wrote the book Seeds about bushfire impacts. Tradies work in a male-dominated industry and can help break down barriers to mental health conversations among young workers.
Why it mattersMen in rural and working-class communities are at high risk of suicide. Community events like this one normalise mental health conversations and raise funds for crisis support services.
AustraliaThe fundraiser supports Lifeline Australia's work across the country. Rural communities benefit directly, and the walk's model can inspire similar initiatives in other towns.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 d ago
