THE simple act of tossing sausages on the barbecue with friends is something most of us have done with little thought.
Newcastle's Adrian Sutter is hoping to inject some serious thought and meaning into the humble Australian pastime.
Sutter is the CEO of Swiss 8, a health promotion charity that helps veterans deal with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. Swiss 8 in partnership with the University Of Newcastle have previously designed a free app to deliver an easily accessible program to keep veterans healthy.
Swiss 8's latest initiative "A BBQ To Remember" is as simple as gathering a handful of mates together to cook some food and share each other's company.
It has a two-pronged goal - to improve the mental health of veterans and non-veterans and to increase awareness of Remembrance on Thursday, which marks the anniversary of the end of the First World War.
Around 75 per cent of veterans experience anxiety and depression after their service. Sutter has lost six army mates to suicide since he left the military in 2012.
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have challenged the mental health of the general public and Sutter said veterans have been equally affected.
"When COVID first kicked off all the mental health service Open Arms started receiving fewer calls," Sutter said.
"The mentality of most soldiers and veterans is we operate far better in times of crisis so when it looked like the rest of the country was about to go into this period of uncertainty and anxiety about what's coming up, it actually caused mental health improvements.
"But it was short-lived. COVID stayed around for two years and the general public and veterans fell back into this time of isolation and social disconnection, which is what causes mental health decline for veterans and the public."
Sutter said A BBQ To Remember is aimed at both veterans and the general public. Newcastle-bred Sydney Swans star Isaac Heeney has jumped onboard as an ambassador with dual rugby international Wendell Sailor, former Wallabies fullback Drew Mitchell and Bondi Rescue's Anthony Carroll to get the message across.
"All veteran mental health issues are just human problems and predominantly they are caused by social isolation and disconnection from their mates when they leave the military," Sutter said.
"We've had a lot of lived experience with veterans and now we want to open it up and share it with the rest of Australia as everyone is going through this anxious and depressive period in COVID.
"We want to say veterans have learnt the hard way, built some tools and now we want to open it up to everyone."
To register your barbecue with A BBQ To Remember head to https://swiss8.org/bbqtoremember.
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