The Country teams up with prominent New Zealanders to support Rural Mental Health Week

NEWS RELEASE – 22 March 2021

The Country teams up with prominent New Zealanders to support Rural Mental Health Week

New Zealand Media and Entertainment’s ‘The Country’ has launched its second Rural Mental Health Week - aiming to get more Kiwis from New Zealand’s rural communities talking about their mental health.

With its daily radio show and print and digital publications, The Country, hosted by Jamie Mackay, has over many years been a friend and companion to farmers and their families, and The Country team has a mission to use that privileged position to focus on mental health.

“Farmers are great at looking after their farms, their workers, their stock and their equipment, but too often they forget about themselves and their own wellbeing. During last year’s Rural Mental Health Week, we learnt that our audiences are more receptive now, to hear about mental health, accepting help, and learning strategies to cope” said The Country’s Jamie Mackay.

The week launched today with Mackay interviewing leading Rural Mental Health Advocate and former All Black Sir John Kirwan.

The Country producer and co-host Rowena Duncum said: “Everyone we’ve spoken to about coming on the show to talk about joining in has been incredibly supportive”.

Along with Sir John, Farm4Life social media influencer Tangaroa Walker, Big Feelings Tractor Trek pioneer Cat Levine, founder of Meat The Need rural food charity Wayne Langford and Farmstrong ambassador and All Black Sam Whitelock will all join The Country across the week to share their stories and experiences.

“We’re also grateful to have the support of Goldpine - one of New Zealand’s largest specialist rural timber suppliers. With so many of their people constantly out and about on farms across New Zealand, Goldpine’s team has a close connection with our rural communities.

“Goldpine has also initiated its own programmes to support mental health awareness on farms that Goldpine’s National Sales Manager Matt Eggers shared with Jamie on today’s show,” said Duncum.

Jamie Mackay’s interview with Sir John Kirwan and Matt Eggers can be replayed here: iHeartRadio with the other interviews being added across the week.

The Country - on iHeartRadio, Radio Hokonui and on the New Zealand Herald here The Country

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Cliff Joiner, GM Communications

New Zealand Media and Entertainment

+64212709995, cliff.joiner@nzme.co.nz