Australia Post is helping Australians stay connected by delivering more than 4 million specially designed prepaid postcards to rural and remote households across the country as part of its continued focus on mental health. Australia Post Head of Community Nicky Tracey said that the postcards were designed in collaboration with Australia Post’s mental health partner Beyond Blue, they are divided into two sections with a part to keep, including helpful tips on how to maintain mental health, and a second part to write on and send to friends or loved ones in Australia free of charge. The free postcards are available from today at participating Post Offices, while stocks last, and from next week will start to arrive in regional letterboxes across the country. A limited number will also be included in select newspapers this Saturday.
Ms Tracey said the simple idea would have a positive impact on people’s mental health, particularly for those who are currently unable to visit friends and family. We know that when we connect, we feel better and sometimes a small message can be all it takes to make a big difference to someone you care about,” Ms Tracey commented “These postcards make it really easy to connect with a message of love, hope and support by simply putting a message on the card, addressing it and dropping it in a red post box.”
Beyond Blue Chief Executive Officer Georgie Harman said the partnership with Australia Post helps to share important messages about mental health with communities across the country and reach people who continue to grapple with the impacts of bushfires, floods and droughts on top of the pandemic.
“This postcard campaign will help us reach into rural and remote areas, where social and geographic isolation, weather impacts and difficulty accessing services can present mental health challenges,” Ms Harman commented “I really hope people will join in the spirit of this initiative, read the tips and send a card to a loved one. If we keep talking about mental health, we can smash the stigma and remove the barriers that hold people back from seeking support.”
Ms Tracey said that the postcard delivery is part of a broader campaign from Australia Post to support mental health, which includes in-store fundraising for Beyond Blue and staff wellbeing initiatives. It carries on from the 2020 release of a stamp titled ‘When we connect, we feel better’ which also came in a pair and enabled the sender to use one stamp to post a letter to a loved one including the second stamp so the recipient could write back easily.