Whitehaven coal
13 March 2024
Nadine’s gearing up for an epic 100km overnight run to raise money for mental health – here’s how you can support her!
At Whitehaven, we’re committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our workforce to help us achieve a safe workplace. We deliver a range of initiatives and activities across our sites, and we encourage our people to continue these practices outside of work.
Our very own Nadine Roulston will be running 100km overnight this month to raise funds for the Black Dog Institute. The Institute supports crucial mental health research and support services for Australians impacted by mental illness and suicide. Nadine will start running at 8pm aiming to be finished by 6am the following morning.
We caught up with Nadine recently to find out what motivates her to raise funds for mental health.
Why is mental health an important cause for you to support?
I worked in this space previously (psychology) and my dad is a police officer. I decided to work with officers who deal with mental health struggles as a result of their experiences on the job. It’s personal for me on that level. I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to encourage men to work on their mental health.
You’ve used running to raise funds for several years and raised over $10,000 for mental health research and support services. Why do you choose running to fundraise?
I’ve been running (long distance) competitively for 20 years and in the last few years I decided to use running as a way to involve others in this particular space. I think that any form of physical exercise can help to improve mental health and well-being. Each week, I gather with a group of guys (police officers mainly or friends) who are going through mental health difficulties and we do a run or a workout. I have found that a relaxed environment helps to encourage conversation between them so that they feel comfortable talking about whatever they may be going through. This year’s event will be particularly important because last year, we lost my close friend and organiser of previous events. So, the message we are putting out there, hits even closer to home.
You’ve invited others to join you for different stages of your run. What does it mean to have others involved?
I invite people to run because I want to encourage community and comradeship between guys and girls who are dealing with mental health struggles. My message is for people to find something positive they are passionate about and channel their energy into that passion and create a challenge for themselves of some sort. For me, running is something I am passionate about. Running 100+kms is a challenge for me and once I complete it, it’s a great feeling of accomplishment and allows me to motivate others to do the same.
In previous years, I’ve had people join for different legs of the run. No one has joined for the entire run yet. But I do love the company! Last year we had a police escort the whole way – cops on bikes! So that made it fun as well.
Do you have a message you’d like to share about mental health?
I think it’s important to note that this subject is something that can go over people’s heads. Even though a lot more is being done to promote the cause, there is still a lot more awareness that needs to be raised. Most of the time, it’s the people in the room who seem the most “ok” who are the ones struggling. We go to the gym to get fit and look after our bodies, but what about doing something to look after our minds too? I have found that if you can take the time to address the mental side of things as much as you do everything else, then it can help to prevent any build-up of stress or anxiety. And of course, we want men to know that there is strength in speaking up. It’s okay to speak up.
You can support Nadine and the Black Dog Institute here: https://www.teamblackdog.org.au/fundraisers/nadineroulston/100km-run-with-nadine
For more information on Whitehaven’s health, safety and wellbeing approach, check out our 2023 Sustainability Report
If you or someone you know is in need of support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of these trusted services:
- Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636