Neffy’s Walk has returned after more than a hundred people walked around Victoria Park Lake in April to raise funds for crisis support workers, promote mental health awareness and remember those lost to suicide.
On Saturday, November 18, at the Shepparton lake once more, the community is invited to arrive at 3.30pm for a 4pm start.
The event will allow community members to engage with and ask questions of mental health and suicide prevention organisations and representatives.
The event will also feature speeches from community members who have been affected by suicide, as well as community leaders who will emphasise the significance of this cause.
Special candles will be on sale, and attendees are urged to make donations.
All the proceeds will support the training of volunteers in crisis support, the operation of phone lines and the engagement with individuals during their most vulnerable moments.
Event organiser Steve ‘Neffy’ Neff said this training could often be expensive but that the resource was invaluable to suicide prevention.
Mr Neff has been a crisis support worker for years through mental health and crisis support organisation Lifeline.
“As far as I know, I’m still the only worker in the Shepparton region,” he said.
Mr Neff has a passion for the cause after he was affected by it personally.
He operates support groups called ‘Neffy’s We Listen’.
The first was set up in Numurkah before he started one in Greater Shepparton, which meets at the Mooroopna Education and Activity Centre once a fortnight.
The primary objective of the group is to support anyone grappling with suicidal thoughts or affected by suicide.
Mr Neff said he was meeting with community members from Murchison about setting up a support group there.
He encouraged the community to support the event, with no RSVP required.
Anyone looking to join any of the support groups can contact Mr Neff on 0400 314 858.
• If you or anyone you know requires crisis support, contact Accessline on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, BeyondBlue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.