About Us

Vision

Saving Lives Through Conversations

Mission

Find and talk to people who suffer mental health issues and guide them to help

Objectives

Riverina Bluebell is a not for profit, volunteer, community organisation, committed to raising awareness about mental health issues in the Riverina and encouraging people to get help and support. Our goal is to encourage locals to share stories, build awareness of the avenues for support available in our local area and knowledge that asking for help is OK.

Riverina Bluebell offers community groups the opportunity to hear from local residents who share their experiences of living with or caring for someone with mental illness. We work with the community to raise awareness of mental illness and help those in need to feel supported in coming forward to seek help.

Riverina Bluebell encourages local community members to share their stories to build awareness of mental health issues and the avenues for support available in the Riverina. Our speakers have “lived and professional experience” with mental health issues and by speaking out with their personal stories, reinforce for others that it is acceptable to articulate their own mental health issues and to seek help. There is no shame or stigma.

Our History

Mr Bill Leslie of Wantabadgery Station called a meeting in Wagga Wagga in July 2007 after he met with the honourable Jeff Kennett. As a result of their discussions, they believed there was a need to raise awareness of mental health in rural communities, including better access to and knowledge of local services. It was decided to compile a database of all organisations presently in existence locally with services for mental health and depression.

From this information, a brochure was compiled and circulated to rural mailboxes in a massive mailout. At the end of the year, Riverina Bluebell receive funding from the CWA, which paid for the printing and distribution costs, and we also approached local businesses and rotary clubs who responded generously. During the following year, the website was established as we realised the brochure dated so quickly and information was better accessed and updated through the web.

We learnt it was important for people who suffer depression to hear of others who have experienced it and recovered. The Committee decided to organise a function during mental health week in October 2009 with appropriate speakers to try and spread the message and reduce the stigma.

Mr Chris Wilson (Willow) bravely discussed his personal battle with depression and expressed his concern that we must recognise that people suffer depression in many different ways and therefore not one rule fits all. He indicated the importance of learning how to deal with depression.

Why are we called Riverina Bluebell?

Riverina Bluebell was suggested as a working title. The name is to reflect the play on words of Paterson’s Curse or Salvation Jane and botanical name is echium plantagineum to tie into the Riverina to ‘Lifting The Curse of The Riverina Bluebell, Paterson’s Curse’.

Riverina Bluebell Committee

President: Stephen Matthews

Email: committee@riverinabluebell.org.au

Stephen is a sheep and grain farmer born and bred in Lockhart who was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2004. His diagnosis followed a major breakdown that he believes was brought about by long working hours on the farm compounded by the heavy financial pressure due to the millennium drought. As a result of his breakdown, Stephen spent three months in a mental health facility in Albury before starting a long slow recovery, punctuated by a severe intolerance to some of the medications designed to help him.

 Today, Stephen lives with cyclic depression and periodically receives maintenance treatment. He is committed to sharing his story to help those in similar situations. His background in farming, owner director of a medium sized transport company and as a small business owner places him in good stead to reach out to a wide variety of audiences across our community. Stephen says he aims to share his personal experience into many aspects of mental health, including:

• The downward spiral;

• The crash;

• Local treatments options – both institutional and otherwise;

• Ongoing Mental health management;

• Long and short term effects;

• Family and friends support.