My name is Julie Fearon, and I am hosting a ‘Big Blue Table’ on Sunday October 2 at the Treelands Drive Community Centre, Yamba, from 1pm to 4pm.

Big Blue Table is Beyond Blue’s Australia-wide, signature event to raise funds for the 24/7 support service – on average, Beyond Blue receives 30 calls every hour from people reaching out for assistance, which can be incredibly hard to do.

Apart from raising funds and awareness about mental health, the Big Blue Table initiative aims to fight the stigma associated with suffering mental health problems, by providing an opportunity for people to talk openly, without judgement.

Talking can promote understanding and, hence, support and tolerance; we don’t have to do this alone.

Many of us wear a virtual mask, often hiding our mammoth pain, which doesn’t really help ourselves. I find comfort in the knowledge that depression and anxiety can, in time, be managed by learning coping strategies.

I’ve come a long way, working through bipolar and a few undiagnosed mental health issues, to believe we have it in us to learn how to manage our illness.

At some stage we all suffer poor mental health; Beyond Blue, with its knowledge and help, is there for us if we’re not coping.

I’m hosting an afternoon tea on Sunday October 2, from 1pm to 4pm at the Treelands Drive Community Centre.

We’re going with the ‘blue’ theme, so if anyone would like to wear blue, go for it; be as creative as you like.

We’ll be having live music, singing and some other entertainment, too.

Yamba Fair Bakery is kindly donating food. Anyone wishing to support them by bringing a plate would be great. Excess food will be going to Foodbank.

A gold coin entry donation would be greatly appreciated, to help cover the costs of hosting the event.

To kindly donate online, my fundraising page is https://bigbluetable.com.au/julie-fearon