Coffee, conversations and supporting a good cause at Cottonwood Café

We all love a morning coffee, but for Springfield Rise residents last week, their coffees were supporting a crucial cause.  
 
Marking R U OK? Day, residents headed down to Cottonwood Café throughout the week and bought a coffee for a fellow neighbour, family or friend to promote mental health awareness. 
 

Cottonwood Café owner Rose said she was happy to offer free coffees to help spark life-changing conversations.  

“R U OK? Day is an important cause to support and I’m happy to help out,” she said.  

 “By offering a free coffee throughout the week rather than just one day, also gives people the opportunity to head down to the café and support an important cause.” 

R U OK? Day is Thursday, 14 September, but it’s also a reminder that every day is the day to ask, ‘are you OK?’ and start important conversations with those who might be struggling.  

There are four steps you can take to help a struggling friend or family member and you don’t need to be an expert to ask, just a good listener. 
 
The first step is asking ‘R U OK?’ make sure you ask in an environment where the person feels comfortable to open up and talk if they’re not doing too well. Next, listen. Listen to what the person has to say with an open-mind and without interruption. 

The third step is to encourage action. Offer to help when and where you can and encourage the person to seek supportive services. Questions or suggestions like “how would you like me to support you?” or “I can find someone who can help,” are a good place to start. 
 
Finally, check-in. Pop a reminder in your calendar or diary to check-in with the person in a few weeks to see how they’re going. While it sounds simple, these small steps could change a life. 

For more information on R U OK? Day or for resources and additional support, you can visit their website.