Television presenter turned sheep and beef farmer Matt Chisholm has signed on as the inaugural ambassador for Rural Support Trust.
He will kick off his ambassadorship role with a nationwide Time Out Tour, talking to rural communities about mental wellness and resilience.
The opportunity came about after Chisholm spoke at an event the trust hosted in New Plymouth in 2020, he told The Country's Jamie Mackay.
"I told my story for the first time and something about it just seemed to work. I don't know whether it was the raw emotion or the high school student humour but it resonated." Taranaki Rural Support Trust chairman Mike Green was so impressed he encouraged Chisholm to take on the ambassador role.
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"We've partnered with him because we feel strongly he has an important message to share with rural people, to give hope that there is a way through whatever difficulties individuals and families may be facing," Green said. This year's tour would be the first of three Chisholm would front annually, he said.
Chisholm's own battles with mental health have been documented in Imposter, a book he published last year, and documentaries Like a Man and Man Enough, both supported by the Mental Health Foundation.
He said he was just telling his story, how pressure can build up if you don't ask for help: "There is a way through it and life can get a whole lot better when you put your hand up, ask for help and work through your issues like I've done." Chisholm was "very passionate about rural NZ," and excited about the role, as he reckoned he was a good fit with Rural Support Trust.
"They do a lot of great work behind closed doors and I guess if I can help increase their profile and help people ... then that sounds like a good thing to do."
On the Time Out Tour, Chisholm is visiting rural halls on the Rural Support Trust's Time Out Tour, starting in Southland and Stewart Island this month.
Despite his enthusiasm, Chisholm still felt like "a bit of a fraud" talking about himself, but he knew a bit of personal discomfort was worth it for the results.
"I know that it helps people. I know that it's good for people.
"I know that off the back of it people put their hand up and they go to the doctor or they go to the counsellor, they call their mates down the road ... and just start connecting again and talking about the pressures they're under."
Chisholm had his fair share of pressures on his 29ha block in Central Otago and admitted he could be a bit hard on himself sometimes.
"I can have some pretty bloody sour conversations with myself ... quite seriously, I can get myself into a real spin within about five minutes."
Talking to a mate always helped when he felt this way.
"They remind me that I'm actually an all right sort of a bugger and I do deserve to be here and I'm doing some good and I'm making a contribution.
"We've got to get out of our own heads a lot of the time and connect with our cobbers ... and just remind ourselves that we're OK.
"We're all under certain pressure but life is so much better when we're sharing and when we're connecting.
"That's what this is all about - looking out for each other."
