The Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill has recently joined forces with the Blue Tree Project to pro-actively challenge the stigma surrounding mental health.


As part of a company-wide volunteer day last week, more than 30 members of the KCA team helped to paint a tree blue at the plant.


Its position near the Glens Lane entrance of the site is a colourful reminder to get people talking.


The Blue Tree at Millicent Mill joins over 1100 trees across Australia that have been marked on behalf of the Blue Tree Project.


It originated in Western Australia in 2018 and has encouraged individuals to speak up about their mental health.


The tree at the KCA Millicent Mill selected meets the project’s criteria of being “dead and in need of a blue lease on life”.


Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill manager Adam Carpenter has welcomed the initiative.


“We’re incredibly proud to be supporting the Blue Tree Project – and it was great to have so many of our local team come together to paint Millicent Mill’s first ‘Blue Tree’,” he said.


“At Kimberly-Clark Australia, we understand the importance of open conversations about mental health and wellbeing – particularly in a regional, manufacturing-heavy environment such as ours – so we were keen to get behind this initiative when the opportunity arose.


“We hope this tree’s presence on-site, and in such a prominent location too, will encourage our employees and the wider community to speak up and seek help if and when they need to.”


Meanwhile, another Volunteer Day activity undertaken by KCA Millicent Mill personnel was the preparation of meals at the Millicent RSL Hall for Millicent Shares a Plate.


It is company policy to allow every employee one paid day per annum to work for charities or community groups.