Make a splash for mental health
Warning: This story makes references to suicide. For help, contact Lifeline 13 11 14
Andrew (Wardy) Ward first established Head Above Water after he had gone through a particularly tough time, and had to seek help for his mental health.
“I guess my life took a fairly interesting turn where I was probably not in the best work environment, and my wife’s health hadn’t been good for a number of years,” Wardy says. “I’d never had any issues with mental health in the past and never thought I’d find myself in that position.”
The suicide rates on the Beaches were, and still are, high and Wardy wanted to help improve the mental health of those in the community. He started Head Above Water with some mates in 2018, and held the inaugural 24 hr Swimathon in March 2019 to raise fund for mental fitness and suicide prevention programs.
Registrations are now open for the eighth 24-hour Swimathon, which will be held in Collaroy rockpool on 14 and 15 March.
About 400 to 500 people take part in the annual swimathon, which has raised over $880,000 since it began. The funds have helped thousands of people across the Beaches and Australia, saving countless lives.
Wardy says it’s hard to explain why suicide rates on the Northern Beaches are higher than the national average, but there are probably many factors involved.
“Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs are very prevalent on the Northern Beaches,” says Wardy. “And substance abuse and mental health go hand in hand. The pressure on young people today is significantly higher than when I was young, through expectation and social media. And it’s a complex world to navigate. I think the stereotypical roles people play are very different today, and that makes it more complex.”
Working with companies that offer ‘mental fitness training,’ a total of 2,239 programs and workshops have been funded in schools, clubs and community groups over the years – helping thousands of people make meaningful connections, Wardy said.
This year’s goal is to raise $150,000 and surpass the million-dollar mark for total funds raised by the charity.
The swim caters for all swimming levels over four double lanes. Lane one for beginners, lane two is the hack, lane three is the weekend warrior and lane four is the pro.
“If you’re not a very competent swimmer, if you want to walk or jump in with the floaties, if you have kids, you can go into lane one,” says Wardy. “And we don’t care if you do one lap or a hundred laps.”
Getting a team together and doing the relay on the Sunday morning at 9am is a fun way to raise money, with prizes and a trophy. “Typically, we’ll get eight to 10 teams,” says Wardy. “We’ll get schools, swimming groups, community groups, and have a lot of fun.”
You can also help from afar, just register and do your swim wherever you are in the world.
If you can’t take part in the swimming, Head Above Water needs volunteers to help run the event, assisting with the registration desk, marshalling and the sausage sizzle, with various time slots available.
“We do this for the community,” says Wardy. “Whatever you put into it will come back to you in some shape or form.”
Head Above Water 24-hour Swimathon
Collaroy Rock Pool
9am Saturday 14 March to 10am Sunday 15 March
From $40 with family and team discounts, remote swim $20