Learning about the small steps we can all take to encourage mental wellbeing in our community is at the heart of the City of Fremantle’s Mental Health Week celebrations.
WA Mental Health Week, held from 6-12 October 2019, focusses on how we live, learn, work and play, and how the combination of these factors impacts our mental wellbeing.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said Mental Health Week had been running in Western Australia for more than 50 years.
“One in five Australians will be diagnosed with a mental health condition at some point in their lives, which is why this community-wide event is so important to remind us all to be aware of our own and others’ wellbeing,” Mayor Pettitt said.
“This year’s theme, ‘Mental health starts where we live, learn, work and play’, reiterated the importance of housing, neighbourhoods, workplaces, schools and community connectedness for healthy wellbeing.
“It also shows how Council’s services and facilities, as well as the various grants and funding programs it offers, played a vital role in providing mental health support for local residents and the wider community.”
In support of this year’s Mental Health Week campaign, the City has organised a number of events and activities to increase community awareness in mental health and wellbeing.
For World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October, the City has partnered with FremantleMind Inc and Amanda Energy to deliver an inaugural event for the local business community at Fremantle Town Hall. There will be free activities on offer including yoga, group fitness and DRUMBEAT® throughout the day, as well as a seminar with Dr Kaine Grigg on how to best support mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
In other events, Fremantle Library and The Meeting Place are presenting free mental health workshops where people can discover new skills to add to their self-care inventory. The Walyalup Aboriginal Cultural Centre has a Nyoongar mindfulness colouring-in session and a free cultural film screening.
People can attend a group fitness class as part of the Fre-O-Fit program, which returns to various locations around Fremantle including Booyeembara Park, Dick Lawrence Oval, Kings Square, South Beach and Fremantle Primary School. The highly-anticipated Summer Streetball 3×3 Series is back on with Round 1 kicking off at Davis Park.
