Tractor trek raising funds for counselling, mental health

While tractors on Invercargill roads are not the most unusual sight, yesterday’s convoy through the city stood out.

Led by mental health advocate Mike King, about 20 farm vehicles made their way towards the Farmlands store for the first stop on the Gumboot Friday Tractor Trek 2020 tour.

The trek is a 2000km journey from Bluff to Cape Reinga, the initiative aimed at promoting positive societal and attitudinal change towards mental health in New Zealand.

Mr King said this year’s goal was to raise $5 million for free counselling across the country.

Last year, the initiative raised $1.3million to provide 10,670 critical counselling sessions to more than 2500 New Zealanders.

"Currently, the only way kids can get free counselling from the government services is to be diagnosed with a mental health problem and that comes with a whole lot of stigma, particularly in rural communities," Mr King said.

Analytics from last year’s initiative revealed the uptake for counselling in rural communities was "down on everywhere else".

"We want to embrace our rural communities and help their kids stay on track for a better life."

Bringing the trip to Invercargill was a chance to give farmers credit for the work they were doing and to say "well done".

"Our farmers unfortunately have been painted to be the bad guys and it’s completely wrong, our farmers are the lifeblood of our country and are doing everything possible to make our farming sustainable and nobody is rewarding them."

Farmlands Southland sales manager James McKenzie said he wanted the Invercargill store to be a meeting point for people in the agricultural industry who needed a space to connect with others.

"If we can provide that sort of environment, I think it’s quite a good thing," he said.