A Hobart man who started a free monthly barbecue giving blokes a place to catch up over a snag and a chat has helped light up the Tasman Bridge to raise awareness of men’s mental health and the support available.
Scott Adams launched the Hobart chapter of Mr Perfect, a national organisation that brings men together over a free barbecue to chat about life, after going through a relationship breakdown earlier this year.
“I was looking for a group to join to try and increase my social life because I didn’t have much and I didn’t find too much that sort of resonated with me,” Adams told Pulse.
Adams discovered Mr Perfect but found there were no groups in southern Tasmania.
It took him more than a month to build the confidence to apply as a facilitator and start a local group himself.
“It took me about a month, I guess or a month and a half to actually believe that I was capable of actually starting one, like I was in the right mindset,” he said.
The group was approved in March and held its first barbecue at Waterworks Reserve on April 19.
It has grown quickly, with attendance rising from nine men at the first gathering to 23 by the third, including 15 first-time attendees.
The free barbecues are held from 10:30am to 12:30pm on the third Sunday of every month.
Adams described the group as “just a group of guys catching up for a chat on things, everyday life, over a snag.”
The monthly barbecues have become more than just a catch-up, bringing together men from different generations who might otherwise never have crossed paths.
His 17-year-old son helps set up each month.
“We’ve got 60, 70-year-old guys that come along and my young bloke’s talking to them about fishing and cars and everyday life sort of stuff as well,” Adams said.
Local sponsors now donate all the meat, bread and drinks, meaning the barbecues cost Mr Perfect nothing to run.
Wanting to spread the word even further, Adams arranged for the Tasman Bridge to be illuminated in Mr Perfect’s colours last weekend, the night before the group’s fourth barbecue, after discovering community groups could apply to light up the landmark.
Beyond Hobart, Mr Perfect runs barbecues in several other Tasmanian locations including Devonport, Port Sorell, Ulverstone and Wynyard.
Adams is also planning a special Father’s Day barbecue, recognising the occasion can be a difficult time for some men.
“There’s so many people that just don’t know that we’re here still,” he said.
“I know there’s some guys that we’ve had come along that have been really struggling.”
