Partnering with a Squad that embodies a vision of fitness of the mind and body

From July 18, Men’s athletic wear brand SQDAthletica will donate $1 from every in-store and online* transaction, in support of men’s mental health.

At Gotcha4Life we talk about Mental Fitness. That is, we believe in training your emotional muscle, building your social connections and thereby creating an underlying resilience in men and boys that will serve us all well for the moment that adversity strikes. It is not good enough to only think about your physical fitness, it is imperative we give more attention to our Mental Fitness.

“So the partnership with Australian company SQDAthletica is a perfect match. The male focus of their brand along with the Mental Fitness approach combines into a really exciting new partnership.” says Gotcha4Life CEO Tim Hodgson.

“Here’s to a great partnership, here’s to actionable and measurable outcomes in communities across Australia and here’s to a full body workout that includes the mind!” concludes Tim.

SQDAthletica General Manager, Scott Philipson, loves the connection between SQD’s vision and the Gotcha4lLife messages, and is thrilled to be part of making real change when it comes to men’s mental health in Australia. Scott said, “SQD was born out of the need to get men more active and invested in their health; we want to help guys perform at their best, and are well aware that to be performing at your best, you need to be both physically and mentally fit. Being able to bring together our vision with the Gotcha4Life vision is a powerful opportunity to improve the lives of men across the country.”

Visit a store near you or check out the range online: https://www.sqdathletica.com

Every purchase will contribute to funding educational workshops,training programmes and products building mental fitness in communities across Australia.

Mates rally for Mental Health

Regularly described as the greatest motoring adventure on the planet, the Mongol Rally is days away from starting and we have 3 mates taking on the challenge, in support of Gotcha4Life.

They will be driving from London to Mongolia – a 20,000km journey through unfamiliar and unforgiving terrain along with other teams and it is expected to take 2 months to complete. Aussie mates Jake, Jayden and Trent chose to support Gotcha4Life as part of their rally campaign after reading an article online about the issues surrounding mental health and anxiety among Australian men.

“The statistics presented in the article were overwhelming and it was something that immediately struck a chord with the 3 of us, as we have all experienced mental health and anxiety issues in one form or another at some point in our lives.” said Jake Shumilin.

The boys are well under way with fundraising and hope to reach a target of $5000.

You can follow their journey via their IG and FB pages: all-aussie-adventurers

If you would like to donate, head to the link below.

Good Luck! We look forward to the journal entries and photos along the way!

Building a more inclusive community one donut at a time.

The year 11 boys from Parramatta Marist Bros held another successful fundraiser for Gotcha4Life last Friday at the school. Led by Monty Duncombe and a cohort of his mates from year 11, the entrepreneurs raised just shy of $1000 for the Foundation. The initiative came about when they were in year 9. Their PDHPE teacher, Luke Barry-Donellan set a project based on the “Man Up Series”. Students created a radio segment for TripleM. In their segments, they had to pitch an idea that would promote a supportive environment at school and ensure help seeking behaviour amongst young men.

Bronut Day was established. Tee shirts were printed, donuts ordered and mateship was made. The concept, buy one donut and get a second donut to give to a mate, start a conversation and create a connection.

We love it! Thanks to Monty,Hunter,Ryan,Jacob,Christian,Toby,Tyler,Noah,Fady,James,Ryan and Mr Barry-Donellan - you are TAKING ACTION!

Let's talk about mental health in Men's Health Week

We are encouraging all males around Australia to grab a mate and do the Gotcha Hand Shake in a united show of support for all those working through mental health issues and to challenge the male sterotype. For the week of June 10-16 capture this moment, its simple!

1) Grab your mate - Do the Gotcha the shake!

2) Take a selfie

3) Post your pic

4) Use the hashtags #gotchamate #gotchahandshake #gotcha4life

5) Tag your mates

and let’s build the mental fitness of men and boys across Australia.

Brett Lee comes to bat as a Gotcha4Life ambassador

We are beyond stoked to have Brett Lee as another of our great ambassadors for the Foundation. The former Australian Cricketer, musician, actor, media personality and family man shares our same passion for improving mental fitness in boys and men across our great country!

Jude joins Gotcha4Life

We are so stoked to announce Jude Bolton former Sydney Swans AFL footballer as a Gotcha4Life Ambassador. Along with our other announcements, Jude is a fine example of a guy who sees health as a priority. Jude believes everything in moderation and with staying fit he likes to mix it up. You will see him stretching in a yoga class or pounding the pavement on a run . “No matter what you do, it is so important to stay fit and include some kind of routine in your life.” says Jude. In his 15 years as a professional footballer, he saw the team as his family. "There was a real support network and we were always watching out for each other. Now a days, I see mental fitness and taking time out for myself just as important as getting my heart rate up."

Gotcha4Life is excited to include Jude in the family and we look forward to working together on improving the alarming statistics around male suicide in Australia.

Being tough and strong growing up meant not showing emotion!

Benji Marshall is a great human with values that align so closely with Gotcha4Life. After experiencing nearly loosing a mate and at the time not realsing there was a problem at the young age of 19, Benji now ensures he is the guy his mates turn too if they need to talk. Having spent a large chunk of his life in a male-dominated football environment, Benji understands the pressures some men experience and he is advocating that showing vulnerability and emotion as well as expressing your feelings is strong and manly.

We were lucky to have Benji as part of our Chemist Warehouse June 2018 Men’s Health Week activation. Benji teamed up with Gus and openly talked about his years growing up in New Zealand and living in an area with a high rate of suicide. “It was frowned upon to talk about your feelings or show weakness. I think as men we’re too proud or embarrassed to say we’re not doing so well or we need help or need to express our feelings.” says Benji.

We are so glad to officially announce that Benji has joined our team of influencing ambassadors who are helping us to reverse the tide of declining mental health in our Aussie blokes and to ensure we reduce the alarming rates of suicide.

He is brave and honest and he is a Gotcha4Life Ambassador

We are so proud and excited to have Steve Smith, join the team as an ambassador. The Australian Cricketer who has been so brave, honest and vulnerable in dealing with his own life experiences especially with Gus and the schools they have visited together. His school talks have shown that Steve shares the same passion for improving the mental health of boys and men in Australia. In 2018, Steve and Gus attended many Australian schools for a warts and all conversation on being a man, owning your mistakes and learning from them. The boys had the opportunity to ask Steve questions and learn about how he rose to great heights as an Australian Cricketer. Steve is a real Gotcha4Life role model.

Gus supports RAMPH by taking Ambassador role

The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health is a state-wide organisation that is committed to improving the mental health, wellbeing and resilience of rural and remote residents. "I had to get behind this organisation because I see that they are doing great work, they have a big heart and are working on the ground with communities that need assistance and providing them with the appropriate services.” said Gus.

RAMHP Program Manager Tessa Caton said “We know that men living outside of major cities are at greater risk of suicide than those living within major cities. Research also tells us that males are less likely to seek professional help and to use services for their mental health problems, compared to females.”

Gus understands the disparity between the city and rural areas and has always shown strong passion to help close the gap and support rural Aussie men.

“ Our activations in the Riverina have been so encouraging over the past 18 months. We have champions down in the area that regularly organise blokes nights and engage in the community constantly. We are on a mission to reach all areas of Australia with our programs and support.” said Gus.

Learn more about RAMPH programmes here: https://youtu.be/Awbz6nD6ANM