Hitting road to spread message

A GROUP of standout Tasmanians will hit the road next week for a trip with a difference.

The 2017 Tasmanian Australians of the Year will visit Hobart, Launceston and Burnie from August 1 at events hosted by the University of Tasmania’s Institute for the Study of Social Change.

The group — Tasmanian Australian of the Year Rosalie Martin, Tasmanian Senior Australian of the Year Margaret Steadman, Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year Mitch McPherson and Tasmanian Local Hero Anthony Edler — heralded the series of regional events with a visit to Rose Bay High School yesterday.

With backgrounds in speech pathology, environmental activism, youth work and suicide prevention, the four award recipients talked to students about the importance of communication, respect for themselves and others and how to build strength at a personal and community level.

“The institute took on a co-ordination role to ensure local community members had greater opportunities to draw inspiration from the award recipients,” Institute for the Study of Social Change director Richard Eccleston said.

Along with school visits, the group will also take part in a series of free public events.

They will be in Burnie on August 1, Launceston on August 2 and Hobart on August 3.

Speech pathologist Rosalie Martin, the founder of Chatter Matters Tasmania, has visited Tasmania’s Risdon Prison over the past three years to help prisoners crack the code of reading and Mrs Steadman is a sustainable living advocate and former history tutor.

Mitch McPherson — a suicide prevention leader who founded SPEAK UP! Stay Chatty after his younger brother took his own life in 2013 — said he was looking forward to the road trip.

“It is good to be recognised and this will be a great opportunity for the four of us to spread our important messages around the state,” Mr McPherson said.

Anthony Edler is the program co-ordinator of the Risdon Vale Bike Collective which helps disadvantaged and at-risk young people in his community and people in Namibia.

The regional tour is being sponsored by the National Australia Day Council and Australia Post.

To attend a free public event, register online at www.events.utas.edu.au

This will be a great opportunity for the four of us to spread our important messages around the state Suicide prevention leader MITCH McPHERSON