October is Mental Health Month: Street Stalls & Photo Competition
Published on 30 September 2021
Come and be involved in Mental Health Month by visiting one of our Community Wellbeing Street stalls across the Shire to promote wellbeing and raise awareness of mental health issues in our community. To add to these, a photo competition linked to this year’s Mental Health Month Theme Tune In will run throughout October. It aims to shine a light on mental health in a creative way and reduce stigma around mental illness.
Street Stalls: Representatives from the Neighbourhood Centres of Bellingen Shire, CHESS Connect, Red Cross, Social Futures, Bellingen and Dorrigo Youth Hubs, Lifeline and Bellingen Shire Council will be at the street stalls to promote service information, respond to enquiries and giveaway freebies including recovery kits, coffee cups, tea and more. Come along and have a chat.
- Urunga: Thursday 7 October 9am-1pm,
- Bellingen Thursday 14 October 9am-1pm
- Dorrigo Thursday 21 October 9:30am-1:30pm.
Photo competition: October is Mental Health Month and this year’s theme is Tune In. Tuning in means being present and aware: of yourself, of others, of your community and of stigma around mental illness. Throughout October we want you to send us a photograph along with a description in 50 words or less that shares a message about your direct or indirect experience with mental health and how it links to this year’s mental health month theme. All you need is a smartphone! There are three categories and a people’s choice with gift vouchers from your chosen local business to be won in each.
- Primary school aged (5-12) $50 voucher
- Secondary school aged (13-18) $100 voucher
- Adult (18+) $200 voucher
- People’s Choice: $50 voucher
Photos should depict your experience with mental health and how you tune in to mental health issues – your own, your friends or your community? What does it look like and feel like for you? How do you take time for your mental health? We hope the entries will be as varied as the experience of mental health.
The competition is open to anyone who lives in the Bellingen Shire. Entries will be judged on the following criteria:
- ·originality and creativity in the interpretation of the theme Tune In
- the link between picture and words and
- the clarity of the message.
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Entries will be displayed at the Bellingen Shire Library Branches online galleries throughout the month of December. The People’s Choice will be announced after the showings. So, let’s get creative while also raising awareness about mental health in our Shire!
For further information please contact Council Community Wellbeing Planning Officer on 6655 7300.