School Fundraiser Gets Behind Rural Mental Health

Module Overview

A group of students at Christchurch Girls’ High have been selling rugby jerseys to raise awareness about the importance of rural mental wellbeing.

The group, who call themselves the Rural Collective, are all boarders at Acland at the high school

“While we all come from different backgrounds we are all connected by our shared rural roots and understanding of pressures faced by farming families,” says Millie McAllister, a spokesperson for the group.

“Having seen firsthand the impact that isolation, stress, and uncertainty can have on mental wellbeing, we created this business to raise awareness and support the backbone of our country.”

The Collective teamed up with North Canterbury business Dog and Country to create a branded, long-sleeve rugby jersey to promote its message and raise funds for nationwide rural wellbeing programme Farmstrong.

Millie says the jersey “represents the resilience and strength of the people that wear them.”

The jersey features the message “Behind Every Farm Is a Mind That Matters”, reminding people that farmers’ mental health and wellbeing is important.

“So it’s more than just buying a jersey, the people wearing them are helping to make a change in rural mental wellbeing across New Zealand,” she says.

“We understand how much farming communities contribute to New Zealand, but we also recognise the challenges that come with rural life, including isolation, long hours, and the pressure behind the scenes that farmers often face. We don’t think it’s spoken about enough.”

The group’s message to farmers is to “speak up and don’t be afraid to talk about it. It’s important to recognise these pressures. Some farmers might not want to appear weak and bottle things up, but it’s actually a sign of strength to discuss these things.”

The girls have raised nearly $5,000 so far.

“We chose to support Farmstrong because its work aligns closely with our values and our mission to raise awareness of mental health in the farming sector. The Farmstrong website is full of free, farmer to farmer tools and resources that farmers can use to manage these pressures and keep well. Last year 20,000 farmers boosted their wellbeing thanks to Farmstrong. The important thing is having that awareness that your wellbeing matters and there are practical things you can do to improve it.”

With end of year exams looming, the girls will soon be heading off to the next chapter of their lives. Millie says she intends to study criminal justice at the University of Canterbury.

“We hope the message behind our jerseys continues to make a difference. We are proud to have created something that represents our rural roots while helping shine a light on an issue that deserves more attention.”

“One of our main goals from the beginning was to give back to the rural community that has shaped us. It has been incredibly rewarding to see our idea reach beyond our school and connect with the wider farming industry.”

There are 23 jerseys left, so if you want to get behind the team, please order yours here.

https://theruralcollectivenz.com/products/long-sleeve-rugby-jeresy