We’ve been a big part of Australian men’s lives since opening our first store in 1948, dressing them for every occasion, from their first job interview to their wedding day. And while we understand that looking good has a direct correlation to feeling good, we also understand that there’s a lot more to our mental well-being than just looking sharp.

Discouraging statistics reveal that men are still struggling in silence. That we feel we’re on our own when we have problems and we prefer not to talk about it. As a family-owned brand, we wanted to use our reach and presence as a tool to make a difference. To instill change through action, and action through meaningful conversations.

Last year we launched our partnership with Beyond Blue, a big first step towards our commitment to improving the lives of Australian men. This collaboration kicked off with strength and is the stepping stone to our Empowered Mind initiative. It marked the start of a journey where social responsibility takes the stage.

One of the partnership’s highlights is the renowned Big Blue Table. A safe space where Beyond Blue and Peter Jackson get together to have morning tea and meaningful conversations discussing personal experiences, tips and techniques on how to look after our own mental health.

Peter Jackson’s very own and esteemed CEO, Paul Jackson, company director Nick Jackson, and all of our headquarters team members gathered to listen to guest speakers: former TV presenter and Beyond Blue Ambassador Brad McEwan, and Dr Luke Martin, a clinical psychologist and mental health promotion practitioner.

(Left to right: Dr Luke Martin & Brad McEwan)

Charismatic as ever, Brad took us on a thoughtful journey through some intimate experiences where he and his family struggled with mental health. From life-changing events that posed some of the toughest challenges in his life, to becoming an outspoken mental health ambassador. He highlighted how speaking up, acknowledging the need for help and reaching out to our support network can make a huge difference. An ambassador by choice and an excellent speaker by nature, Brad left us with lots to reflect on.

Dr Martin has over 15 years of experience in the mental health space and has been an advocate for raising awareness since he was 21. Focusing predominantly on our youths, he’s been providing tools and resources to Australian men for over a decade, knowing tackling problems as early as possible stops them from snowballing.

While we’ve come a long way, a lot of men still feel like opening up in times of struggle is a sign of weakness. The belief that we ought to remain silent, tough and stoic is prevalent in today’s day and age, and while being tough and stoic isn’t necessarily a bad thing to some extent, this can also lead to inadequate coping mechanisms, feelings of anxiety, depression and isolation.

— Dr Luke Martin

Both insightful and inspiring, Beyond Blue’s “Big Blue Table” encourages us not only to start thinking introspectively, check on our mates and have meaningful conversations about mental health. It also helps us realise that while every man has his own battle, he doesn’t have to fight it on his own.

Peter Jackson is a proud partner of Beyond Blue. To learn more about our partnerships and the work we’re doing to improve the lives and mental health of Australian men, check out our “Blue Shirt initiative”