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Bondi
to Online: Australian Mental Health Group Makes Waves - 24th April 2020
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SYDNEY
— At a time of increasing loneliness, an Australian mental health support
group has swapped the sand of Bondi Beach for home computers during Australia's
coronavirus lockdown, turning its message of social connection to a global audience. Members
of the group OneWave, which hosted Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan
on their Australian tour, still meet at dawn for their weekly Fluro Friday sessions,
named for the bright, fluroescent clothes people wear to be upbeat. But
now the talk is online since Australia closed its beaches and curbed travel to
curb the coronavirus. "Every
week we dress in the brightest outfits we can to make mental health more visible,
also bright colours make people happy," founder Grant Trebilco told Reuters. "One
thing people need right now is connection and one thing people need is to know
they’re not alone." Harry,
who is open about his own struggle with mental health, and Meghan joined the circle
when it met on Bondi Beach during their 2018 visit to Australia. Fluro
Friday sessions take place on about 200 beaches in 40 countries, but for now,
most participants can only talk to each other over the internet about how they
are coping in isolation. Trebilco
chairs the Bondi call from his native New Zealand where he is staying with his
family until he can return to Australia. Eight
years ago, Trebilco was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and hospitalised in a
mental health facility. Thinking
his life was over and finding himself unable to cope, he did the one thing that
brought him happiness: he went surfing. Trebilco
said his "salt-water therapy" is where he finds his "happy place"
and, hoping to find a way to share this discovery with others, he donned a fluorescent
suit one Friday morning when getting ready to surf. Fluro Friday was born. (Reporting
by Jill Gralow in Sydney. Writing by Melanie Burton in Melbourne; Editing by Robert
Birsel) (Reuters) | 
