38 guests attended the Lake Conjola Bowling Club on Saturday evening for a Men’s Mental Health evening, co-hosted by the Order of Malta and the Shoalhaven Rising from the Ashes centre.

The event brought together men from the community, impacted by the bushfires. Guests enjoyed a meal and talks from guest speakers.

Dr Tad Tietze, a psychiatrist who currently works at Shellharbour hospital and is responsible for psychiatric crisis response for acute presentations to the Emergency Department, was one of the guest speakers. Tad spoke wonderfully to the crowd about the need for men to look after their mental health and the importance of sharing their feelings and concerns with a trusted friend.

The second speaker of the evening was Stuart O’Neill, author of the best selling book “Just One Reason” – a personal account of his battle with depression and suicidal thoughts on the breakdown of a relationship. Stuart spoke from the heart and captivated the audience with his honesty and openness. Stuart’s message supported that of Tad’s, encouraging men to stop and seek help if needed. Stuart provided all who attended the evening with a copy of his book. Both speakers waited around at the end of the night to talk to the gathered audience and this was greatly appreciated.

Finally, Stephen Chinnock, a local poet from Conjola recited one of the poems that he had wrote since the fires. Stephen spoke about the importance to have an outlet to express your feelings, and how his had been through the art of his poetry. The evening concluded with a few speeches of thanks, and hours of conversation amongst the crowd and speakers.

Thank you to everyone who supported this event. The evening was a great success and was very much appreciated by the community members who attended.