Five Boggabri ladies, Joanna Gillham, Heike Watson, Leah Rees, Janet Watt and Caroline Stone, have decided to swim laps to save lives during March 2023.
Last Wednesday, being the first of March, the ladies arrived at the pool full of enthusiasm to dive in and start swimming laps.
More than one in three young people in Australia is currently experiencing a mental health difficulty.
However, there’s even a bigger problem.
More than one million of them are not accessing professional support, and suicide remains the leading cause of death for 16–24-year-olds in Australia.
ReachOut provides a safe, online place for young people to chat anonymously, express yourself, explore what’s happening in your life, connect with people who understand your situation and find resources to help you manage challenges.
It is anonymous, free and 100 per cent online and especially designed for and with young people.
During March, ReachOut challenges the community to challenge themselves and raise funds.
Joanna Gillham has set a goal of five kilometres but is hoping to do much more.
Heike Watson said she has been amazed at the support.
She is swimming for her niece and others like her and set a goal of five kilometres.
“People have been so generous”, she said, “I just have to be able to do the laps now.”
Caroline Stone has decided to really challenge herself and swim seven kilometers.
Janet Watt and her daughter Evie have decided to swim eight kilometres and on the first day they completed two and a half kilometres.
The ladies are all hoping that the community will get behind them and donate on their respective pages.
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