'It's just amazing': Menslink celebrates its most successful 'Great Walk' fundraiser

Canberra’s business leaders are probably still rubbing the pain out of their legs and feet as they settle back into normal working life this week, but it was worth it.

Held each year since 2021, the Menslink ‘Great Walk’ involves 30 CEOs and business and community leaders walking along the Centenary Trail to raise much-needed funds to support young guys in Canberra.

Every day for five days, the group covered 20 to 30 km of the trail, starting at Parliament House on the Monday and finishing at the Southern Cross Club in Yarralumla on the Saturday morning.

For context, this is longer than the Kokoda track (96 km) and further than the distance to Everest base camp (130 km) – no mean feat.

And there’s not just the distance – the walkers also commit to raising $10,000 each.

Menslink says this contribution goes directly to finding their volunteer mentoring, counselling and school and workplace programs that “help improve mental fitness, combat domestic violence, reduce youth suicide, increase respect and positive behaviours”.

It costs more than $1800 to support one young guy through a Menslink program.

This year’s Great Walk has raised more than $365,000 for local men’s support organisation Menslink, the largest figure in the fundraiser’s four-year history.

“It’s just amazing,” Menslink CEO Ben Gathercole says.

“People have really dug deep for us, and we really appreciate that.”

He says the walkers’ initial nerves about the length of the walk were followed by relief when they got to crack open a beer at the end, but there was also the “real pride they had not only completed five days of walking but also that they’d done some great things for a local charity”.

“Before the walk, people were not really sure how they were going to do it – a little bit of trepidation, a little bit of anxiety, a little bit of nervousness about the physical challenge – and we certainly acknowledge it’s not an easy thing to do,” Ben says.

“But during the walk, as we got into the groove, people settled in … and felt really proud of what they were doing.”

Canberra developer Geocon provided accommodation for the walkers each night at the Abode Hotel in Belconnen. And over dinner each night, Menslink staff would host a presentation about the organisation’s work and how it’s impacted various people.

“It’s about way more than raising money – it’s about creating awareness,” Ben explains.

“We want to create Menslink champions. Each one of these people that walked for us now goes back out into their community, and when they come across somebody who’s struggling through work or a sporting club, they can suggest, ‘Just give Menslink a call’.”

The organisation is “very grateful for the people who committed their time and energy” this year.

“And the by-product is that we’ve raised some great money,” Ben says.

The dates are yet to be announced, but they are set for next year’s Great Walk. Donations are still welcome if you’d like to support this important local charity.