Ms JODIE HARRISON (Charlestown)—Raising community awareness of mental health issues helps to eliminate stigma and encourages people to seek help.

That's why the Royal Australian Air Force 26SQN Mechanical Equipment Operations Maintenance Section decided to push a jet-shaped billy cart, which they built themselves, from the RAAF base at Williamtown, all the way through the Charlestown electorate to the World War Two RAAF Base memorial at Rathmines on Saturday 12 November.

In doing so, the team raised more than $7000 for BeyondBlue, the Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation.

It was a huge effort for the team to push the billy cart, which was shaped like a F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet, a total of 52km. Luckily the weather cooperated, and while the hills were a test, all the team members were still smiling by the end.

They attracted plenty of attention as their route took them through Fern Bay, across the Stockton Bridge, into Newcastle, through Charlestown and Warners Bay, and around into Speers Point, Toronto and Rathmines. Thank you to the team for their fundraising efforts, and for highlighting the particular mental health challenges facing servicemen and women.

A Community Recognition Notice is an opportunity for an MP to submit a short statement praising the work of an individual or group in the local community. If you have any ideas about people I can recognise with a Community Recognition Notice, please email and let me know!