Ways to stay connected

Russell O’Hara, of Stirling. ‘‘I come down here. I don’t get wound up in work — you get no gold medals for worrying about things.’’

Doug Ross, of Te Tipua. ‘‘I see my granddaughter Kenzie, she’s about a year old and I see her about four times a week — it’s marvellous. She’s got blond hair, blue eyes and a big smile.’’

Barney Bloxhom, of Owaka. ‘‘I’m not allowed to go to the pub because I’ve got heart problems, so that stuffs that up, so I visit family and play golf.’’

Jeff McKenzie, of Wyllies Crossing. ‘‘I have a good rapport with all my neighbours and keep in contact with them. It’s important to watch out for each other and check everyone is OK.’’

Logan Moore, of Outram. ‘‘I go hunting and fishing, stuff like that.’’

Duncan McDonald, of Balclutha. ‘‘I go to the pub — it’s the only place to sort out the world’s problems.’’

Stuart Hallum, of Hillend. ‘‘When I was younger, you just carried on, but in saying that, I had a brother-in-law who [committed suicide]. He never went off the bloody farm, he just kept working. I go to Wanaka a fair bit and have for a few years, that...

Kevin Proudfoot, of Wyllies Crossing. ‘‘In my case, it’s visiting saleyards and yarning to farmers — it’s contact with people.’’

The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week this year is to reconnect with the people and places which lift you up.During the campaign last week, Shawn McAvinue visited a sheep sale at Balclutha Saleyard and asked some of the crowd what places or people they reconnect with to maintain their mental health.

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