TICKETS are now closed for A Beautiful Mind gala event this Saturday.
Portland’s Nea Barclay is behind the event, which is to be held at the Portland Golf Club, and said that plenty of tickets were sold.
“Excellent turnout,” she said.
“We sold just under 190 tickets.”
The event was designed by Mrs Barclay to raise awareness about men’s mental health after her husband Jarrod Barclay took his own life in 2022.
The gala also aims to raise funds to tackle mental health problems in the Portland community.
It is the second time the gala has been held, and the 2024 event will feature guest speaker Nathan Tolman, CSM.
Mr Tolman is a former soldier with multiple deployments under his belt, including to Iraq, East Timor, Solomon Islands and Afghanistan.
After 22 years of service, Mr Tolman resigned after noticing the mental and physical toll his military career was having on him.
Mr Tolman is now an ambassador for The Shaka Project, a charity dedicated to beginning the conversation around mental health.
“Nathan is from Queensland. I met him through the Shaka Project,” Mrs Barclay said.
“I contacted him and invited him to come and guest speak.”
For entertainment, Mrs Barclay has arranged for musicians Jayden Lillyst and Teleah Armistead to perform.
Mrs Barclay said attendees, who will be enjoying a three-course meal, can look forward to a great evening.
“There's going to be great music,” she said.
“And I think the most important thing is it's just going to be a night around men's mental health and suicide prevention.
“So, lots of conversation, lots of awareness... it's just really just about trying to reduce the stigma that exists around mental health and suicide.”
Mrs Barclay said support for this year’s A Beautiful Mind gala event has been fantastic with both businesses and local organisations pitching in to help.
Statistically, nine Australians take their own lives each day, with seven out of the nine being men.
• Support is available for anyone in distress by contacting Lifeline on 131 114, MensLine on 1300 789 978 (or online at mensline.org.au), or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 (or at kidshelpline.com.au).
