For those struggling with mental health issues, letting someone else know can be a crucial first step on the road to recovery.
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Walk ‘n’ Talk is an initiative launched by former NRL player Shannon Nevin, which seeks to start an open conversation about suicide and mental health in the community.
Lithgow’s first Walk ‘n’ Talk will take place this Sunday April 2 at Tony Luchetti Sports Ground.
One local Walk ‘n’ Talk representative said he and his friends were spurred into action after recently losing four of their close mates to suicide.
"I've been touched… they weren't acquaintances, they were really good mates," he said.
"We would really like to get this going so none of this stuff happens again."
The representative said the event would also aim to fight the culture of people keeping their problems to themselves until it was too late.
"I suffered from mental health for a long time in my life through addiction so I really want to get behind it for that simple fact that I was lucky to come out the other side," he said.
"I'm probably finding a few other people that suffer from addiction and mental health becoming an issue for them so I'll be looking for them sort of people on the Walk 'n' Talk to connect with them on that level."
Walkers will also have the opportunity to register their details in order to make contact with others after the event and meet in a more personal setting.
All Lithgow residents are welcome to take part whether they are experiencing mental health issues or are simply able to listen.
"If one person can bring one mate that they know is struggling then they can meet someone else and it can just sort of go from there," the representative said.
The group will try and run Walk ‘n’ Talks on a regular basis to help create an open conversation between community members.
"My message to the community is just get your mates down here and just have a walk and just see what it's like," the local representative said.
"I know it's taken a lot of deaths for it to happen but I think it's the first stepping stone in the right direction."
Registrations will taken from 9.15am on Sunday with the walk starting at 10am. A free sausage sizzle will also be held after the walk.
For more information visit Walk ‘n’ Talk Lithgow on Facebook.
