Mental health awareness was in the spotlight when charity football match ‘switch the headspace’ kicked off on Friday evening.

The inaugural event was held at East Gambier Football Club and raised funds for youth mental health foundation headspace Mount Gambier.

An impressive crowd attended to watch ex-AFL stars, local celebrities and young guns on Team Pale Ale and Team Pacific Ale go head-to-head on the grounds.

The event was brought to life by a dedicated local committee which involved Adam Todd, Adam Richards, Jesse Plunkett, Celeste and Shane Raymond, Aaron Davis, Matt Roscow and Luke Thomson.

“Although the committee cleverly were able to add some of Limestone Coast’s past and present finest footballers, local personalities plus AFL greats, the committee did not lose focus of what instigated this event, and that was to put two teams together made up of mates and play a football game to raise awareness for local mental health support,” Mr Raymond said.

“The changeroom banter was superb – players having the opportunity to meet, mix and play with those who they idolised or catch up with teammates they have not seen for a long time while at the same time being on a level playing field due to the cause.

“This was also evident with the amazing crowd, with many people telling me they had connected with people they had not seen for quite a while, which was the whole idea of the event.

“It was great to see that instead of mental health causing disconnection, mental health connected our community together.”

Mr Todd said the event was a major success and was everything the committee could have asked for.

“Before the night even started we had already reached our goal of raising the awareness and starting the conversation – and I think everything after that just came as a bonus,” he said.

“We got plenty of people through the gates which was good, we had a good game of footy on.

“I think everyone enjoyed watching that, it was a pretty high-quality game.”

Ms Raymond said the journey leading up to Friday night was “massive”.

“Since early September fitting all the meetings and everything else in between our work and families – and it all paid off with an amazing event supporting this cause for all to enjoy and remember,” Ms Raymond said.

“The game itself I am told was amazing, which I cannot wait to watch on replay after having only seen about five minutes, but my son Isaac was playing on Swanny at the time so that was good.”

Ms Raymond said the committee was also extremely grateful to have experienced emcee for the night Kevin Douglas (KD), who ran the night impeccably.

Mr Roscow believed the game had exceeded his expectations.

“I have had people reach out to me and say how good the event was and how important the message we shared was,” Mr Roscow said.

“I am very thankful and very humbled that I was able to be a part of the event and also very thankful for the support we received from everybody, it shows what a great community we have got.”

Mr Todd said it was quite emotional playing in the match after all the build-up towards the event.

“I do not think there was a point out there where I was not smiling, just to be out there with some of the players who were out there, not even just the ex-AFL players, but more so some of the local footy legends down here,” he said.

“Then to be out there with our mates as well was probably the cherry on top.”

Mr Roscow said there were some great moments during the match and it was a game that he would hold in very high regard.

“The game was played at a pretty good pace, there were some pretty handy footballers out there, but it was unbelievable to be out there and to look around and see everyone enjoying themselves,” he said.

“I was speaking to a few people afterwards and they said it was a game they will remember forever.”

Tim Brennan held a pre-game smoking ceremony for the players and opened the event with a Welcome to Country.

The committee spoke about mental health and the reason why they were hosting the event before a moment of silence and Mr Todd, Mr Richards and Mr Plunkett let balloons go as a tribute to those who have been lost to suicide or struggled with mental health.

“The Welcome to Country and opening ceremony, how emotion evoking that was, completely anchoring everyone again to the ‘why’ and ‘reason’ we were all there before the game,” Ms Raymond said.

Various mental health and wellbeing services set up stalls, people enjoyed live music by Ben Hood and the game was followed by an auction and raffle prizes.

Collins Court Butchers donated the sausages for the barbecue, Commercial Street Bakers Delight donated the bread and Mr Davis said just under 1500 sausages were sold.

Mr Davis believed the donation to headspace would be quite significant.

“It was mainly all about awareness and if there is some money at the end of it they can donate to a charity then I think that is fantastic,” Mr Davis said.

headspace community liaison worker Nick McInerney said headspace was very appreciative for the support from the whole community.

“We hope this event will promote important conversations and help seeking if required,” Mr McInerney said.

“The planning and the night meant so many different things to so many, but we hope whatever it meant to you, your friends and family, that moving forward we have made a collective difference for the continued positive mental health and well-being of our community, because not one of us can do that alone, we can only do that together,” Ms Raymond said.

“Most importantly, keep reaching out for support and checking in so that we can keep this conversation going now.

“We are just so proud of everyone.”

The committee thanked everyone for their support, including sponsors, donors, East Gambier Football Club and everyone who attended.

“This was no one person doing this, this was everybody, from our committee, to all the people that supported us, to all the people that came, to everyone who sent us messages, to everyone that played,” Mr Roscow said.

“Everybody did this and that is how we need to battle mental health, everybody needs to chip in and do their part, and if we can do then I think we can have some success helping it going forward.”