Australia Post sends out 605,000 postcards to help alleviate loneliness
If you haven’t already got one, expect to find a blue wren postcard in your mailbox this May for mental health support.
Australia Post and Beyond Blue are sending out more than 605,000 postcards during May, reaching every household in South Australia.
These postcards carry important mental health messages to encourage greater community connection and support mental wellbeing.
Each postcard includes mental health information, contact details and a detachable pre-paid postcard.
The collaboration between Beyond Blue and Australia Post first started during COVID-19 lockdowns.
Murray Bridge Australia Post shop manager Peter O’Brien said the campaign was a great way to support people no matter where they were in the region.
“This is a campaign that tries to help grassroots people in a way which we really value,” he said.
“(Australia) Post is about valuing communities and valuing people.”
How to use your postcard
Recipients are encouraged to send a personalised note to a friend or loved one.
- Share a thought, tell someone you are thinking of them and that you are never too far away for a chat
- Share a memory of something that you have experienced together to help you feel closer even if you are apart
- Share a story from your life recently and ask for one in return
- Send it to someone you are worried about, connecting in this way could be an opportunity to help someone that is seeking support
Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman said research showed that too many people experienced feelings of disconnection, loneliness and isolation, despite being connected digitally.
More than one third of South Australians were experiencing loneliness, according to Ending Loneliness Together, especially in remote or regional areas.
“Whether it’s a simple conversation, a supportive gesture, or a shared experience, fostering connection is essential for nurturing resilience, reducing isolation, and promoting overall wellbeing,” Ms Harman said.
- More information: auspost.com.au.
- Get help: Talk to your GP; find a local mental health service that suits you at murraymallee.servicesdirectory.org.au; call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636; or, in an emergency, call 000.
Stories create community. Please help Murray Bridge News tell our community’s stories.
