MEDIA RELEASE: 5 October 2020

Friday 9 October is Odd Socks Day, an annual fundraiser and anti-stigma campaign run by leading national mental health organisation GROW Australia.

Odd Socks Day is an important opportunity to show people struggling with their mental health in these challenging times that they are not alone.

“Take part – pull on a pair of Odd Socks, show them off proudly, share photos on social media, hold functions – face to face where allowed or virtually : let’s just show others that we care and that we are in this together,” National CEO of Grow, David Butt, said today.

“We know anyone can have an odd day – that’s even more the case now with the mental health impacts of the pandemic.”

Odd Socks Day was commenced by Grow in 2013 and now is celebrated on the Friday before Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day. Each year, participation has grown so that now hundreds of thousands of people connect to Odd Socks Day.

“This year is going to be different because of social distancing requirements and changed workplace arrangements, but now more than ever we need a strong community response to support the extra mental challenges faced by people impacted by COVID-19,” Mr Butt said.

“At the start of the introduction of physical distancing and lockdowns, we saw so many people who locally took up the challenge to reduce social isolation in their local communities – from their balconies, driveways, over the phone or through social media. They were building community, helping people with mental health problems, who often feel isolated anyway, and those with emerging problems due to the pandemic, to build resilience and coping skills.

“Odd Socks Day provides another great opportunity to participate and help build that caring and sharing community.”

Visit www.grow.org.au/oddsocksday or follow us on Facebook