Flanno fundraiser sparks vital talks

A $200 meat tray and several eskies were among the raffle prizes.

He said the event was about more than fundraising, providing an opportunity to start conversations around mental health in a community where many customers are farmers.

“I think what Flanno for a Farmer is about is creating that conversation that nobody likes to talk about,” Mr Neville said.

“So we really rather gathered around that.”

Mr Neville said the fundraiser meant a great deal to him personally, particularly given how difficult it could be for people to speak up and ask for the help they need.

“It’s okay to not be okay,” he said.

“If you need to ask for help, it’s not weak.”

He said his own journey with mental health had made the cause deeply personal.

“I struggled a lot when I was a kid and a young adult,” he said.

“I know personally, it’s so hard to ask.”

Mr Neville said he hoped the fundraiser encouraged people across the wider community to reach out when they were struggling.

“It’s okay to lean to your best mate and say, ‘Look, I’m struggling. I just need someone to talk to, someone to have a beer with,’” he said.

“Because asking that first time is the hardest thing you can do. But once you do it, it feels like a massive weight lifted off your shoulder.”

While it was the Lockington Hotel’s first Flanno for a Farmer event, Mr Neville made clear it would not be the last — with the hotel already committed to throwing its support behind the campaign again next year.

Watching the community come together so wholeheartedly on the night left Mr Neville filled with a sense of genuine pride and gratitude.

“I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this community after Friday night,” he said.