Local workers and businesses across Sunraysia and the Mallee are being encouraged to step out for their mental health on National Walk to Work Day this Friday (27 March).
The event is this year being held in partnership with the Black Dog Institute as figures reveal mental illness is costing Australian workplaces more than $39 billion every year.
Leading the charge is Jake Weatherald, who has represented Australia in international cricket and is one of the most recognised names in the domestic game.
Weatherald has spoken openly about his own mental health challenges and has joined Walk to Work Day as a national ambassador, using his platform to show that even elite athletes are not immune – and that walking has been central to his own recovery.
“I’ve seen firsthand how much of an impact something as simple as getting outside and going for a walk can have,” he said.
The science backs him up. Research by the Black Dog Institute shows that walking for an hour a day can reduce the risk of major depression by up to 26 per cent.
More information and team fundraising registration: https://www.walk.com.au/wtw/homepage.asp
