Blokes will be able to talk about what’s bothering them at the Boys’ Day Out Race Day at Dubbo on Sunday, February 4.
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The City of Dubbo Turf Club has enlisted the help of Lifeline Central West to run a race meeting with a difference.
Together they have found representatives of sporting and support groups who are keen to lend an ear.
Boys’ Day Out Race Day is the brainchild of turf club general manager Vince Gordon.
“It’s using an event that’s happening within the community to raise awareness of men’s mental health issues,” he said.
Statistics provided by Lifeline Central West executive director Alex Ferguson reveal the need to do just that.
“Of the million calls coming into Lifeline this year, about 75 per cent are being made by females and therefore 25 per cent by males,” he said. “If you look at the national suicide rate, which is about 3000 deaths a year, you see about 78 per cent are male and about 22 per cent are female.”
READ MORE: Calls to Lifeline on the rise and Lifeline funding in crisis.
Bathurst-based Mr Ferguson said Dubbo was an ideal place to hold the Boys’ Day Out Race Day. “The further you go west in NSW the greater the incidence of domestic violence, mental health problems and suicide,” he said.
Mr Gordon said representatives of the Black Dog Ride, Blue Elephant program run by Central West Rugby Union, Group 11 Rugby League, Racing Mates and headspace Dubbo would be “cruising around” the racecourse on the afternoon of February 4, ready to listen and help.
But he said the event would operate on a “no pressure” basis. “We don’t want people to feel that they can’t come out because someone’s wanting to get into their head,” Mr Gordon said. “We want guys to come out and be happy to be here and maybe have a chat to someone.”
Mr Ferguson said men were “not bulletproof” and should be encouraged to speak about their “emotions and issues”. “That’s what we are doing but we are doing it in a fun context,” he said.
Women will be made welcome at the Boys’ Day Out Race Day that includes an eight-race program, music, entertainment and “boys’ toys” in the form of car and motorbike displays. Bar and food outlets will be operating as well as betting facilities. Entry by members of men’s clubs and organisations will be via a donation to Lifeline Dubbo. General entry will be $10 and concessional $5.
