Save the date and lace up those running shoes for the inaugural Coonawarra Running Festival, a fundraising event which will take place on November 5.

The initiative will raise money for Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, an Australian foundation dedicated to creating a life free from mental illness.

Coonawarra Running Festival Committee Member Sandra Wallis said the idea for the fundraiser developed after SA Mental Health Commissioner and Breakthrough Executive Director John Mannion spoke at the Penola UnStuck Mental Health Awareness Evening.

The event is still in early stages of development but had already received lots of community interest.

Ms Wallis said some people had already started training.

“We’re so lucky we have got such a supportive community,” she said.

“People are just fantastic.”

One in five Australians has a diagnosed mental health condition and there are not enough services to help the number of people in need.

The committee hope this event will raise awareness and help support Breakthrough Foundation.

Ms Wallis said organisers were keen to have more sponsors on board and want to raise as much money as they can.

She said anyone can participate and they hope to receive entries from locals and all over Australia.

“We’re hoping it’s going to be a fairly big event,” Ms Wallis said.

“We’re hoping to have a festival atmosphere there, with market stalls and food vans and music.”

Visit the Coonawarra Running Festival Facebook page for further information.