Last weekend, the Angela May charity boat was unveiled at an event in Moeraki which touched on suicide and underscored the need for greater mental health awareness.
The newly emblazoned charter boat Angela May, for the "support and wellbeing" of others, is the brainchild of Moeraki fisherman and charter boat operator Caleb Clark.
Mr Clark was inspired to buy the boat to help others after losing his wife Angela May to suicide last year.
The boat was officially unveiled , a year to the day since Mr Clark and his wife got married.
It had been a tumultuous time for him but he was driven to see his wife’s name live on and the widespread support for this was very gratifying, he said.
"It’s been really good ... Everyone has come together and made it happen."
The important need to have like-minded people on the journey in the face of adversity, be it a cancer diagnosis or a mental health crisis, had become very real and Angela May would be a vessel of support and wellbeing for all ages.
He would run a regular no-cost, fresh-air fishing cruise as a space "for like-minded people to connect".
"I’m going to use the boat as a normal charter boat and once a month take it out with eight people.
"Basically, the whole idea is there’s nothing I can do to change what happened, but make something better for others."
And on Sunday several advocates for mental health voiced that need.
I Am Hope South Island manager Michelle Cogger aimed her message to parents particularly.
She called for parents to be more emotionally transparent and good role models.
"My message: to be vulnerable with your children, to talk to your children. You need to be honest and have honest conversation," she said.
The terrible statistics in New Zealand underscored a very real issue that rarely got the visibility it needed.
"We have a national figure every year for road deaths. In 2024 it was 290.
"What angers me the most is that the suicide figure is almost double or more. Last year it was 617.
Mr Clark said his wife dreamed of making people happy and what had subsequently happened with her was tragic.
"I really struggle being where I am today.
"If people don’t start being nicer, then this earth is going to lose more people ...
"I hope by running this boat I can put people in the same boat and help form a bit of support network ...
"You are not alone."
Organiser Leanne Black said it had been a whirlwind few weeks to organise the event on Sunday, which included guest speakers, a children’s fishing competition, raffles and a charity auction.
They had been "absolutely overwhelmed" at the response.
