The Riverina Bluebell Cup was established five years ago by AFL Riverina in conjunction with the not for profit group, to help raise awareness of mental health issues and promote local support services to young people.  The winner of the Riverina Bluebell Cup is the club with the highest aggregate of points for the three football and four netball games played on the day.

The initiative seeks to leverage the popularity of sport to increase general understanding about mental health issues and most importantly, to encourage people experiencing mental health problems to seek help from the services available locally.  

Umpires and linesman at the matches wear uniforms promoting Riverina Bluebell and volunteers staff an information kiosk to provide information to attendees. Giveaway bags with leaflets and other promotional items are also made available to the community at the sporting matches.

Chairman of Riverina Bluebell, Mr Mac Armytage, said that using sport to promote mental health awareness has helped to remove some of the usual stigma associated with mental health issues.

“Sport is a great leveller,” he said.

“Linking mental health messages to sporting endeavours helps to normalise the conversation and remove some of the taboos which have traditionally been associated with mental illness,” he said.

Shane Buchanan, Football Operations Manager, AFL Riverina, said that feedback from the clubs about the initiative has been very positive. “The players enjoy participating in the matches and can see the benefit of raising the profile of Riverina Bluebell in their communities, which have of course all experienced the problems associated with depression, suicide and other mental health challenges,” he said.

Mr Armytage said that while Riverina Bluebell was extremely grateful to have money raised to support their endeavours, the exposure and promotion of group’s work was the most important benefit for the group. “Our exposure in the smaller country towns has been enhanced, the football followers and townspeople recognise the work we are doing and appreciate our involvement to promote positive mental health outcomes in rural NSW,” he said.

Riverina Bluebell is a small charitable organisation with an interest in mental health, well being and resilience. The organisation’s efforts are directed towards young people in rural areas where a lot of the tragedies have occurred.

“We have put money towards the training of councillors, information nights, recent investment in a pilot program “Read the Play” to take out to junior football and netball clubs in the Riverina,” said Mr Armytage.

“We are currently having a major upgrade of our website to provide more information and to try and de- stigmatise mental health issues.”

Riverina Bluebell is a not-for-profit, volunteer, community organisation which aims to link people living in the Riverina to the help, support and resources they need to manage mental illness.

Visit www.riverinabluebell.org.au/