Menslink’s Big Night Out 2021 – one of our biggest yet!
The Big Night Out is one of Menslink’s annual fundraising events, bringing together community leaders and Menslink stakeholders and supporters for a fun night of letting off steam, listening to powerful stories, and of course raising much needed funds for charity.
This was our fourth Big Night Out after the 2020 edition was cancelled. The event was held back on March 26, 2021, with over 300 people arriving at Hotel Realm in Barton wearing their best 70s attire.
MCs for the night – Canberra’s own Mark Riley and Suzanne Mostyn guided the enthralled crowd from a stirring first-hand account from Peter Munday to a heartfelt video message from two former Menslink mentees, before kicking off the annual ALLBIDS Charity Auction.
Attendants were treated to a mouth-watering three course meal, with great drinks, great company, and great entertainment all included.
Some of the big-ticket auction items from 2021 included a brand-new red Volkswagen Amarok, a built-for-purpose deck solution from ACT Decks, and a portrait of Leo Sayer signed by the great man himself (who was in attendance to present to prize).
The Canberra community really got behind our cause, with tickets for the event and proceeds from the Charity Auction raising a whopping $182,000 on the night after costs. This money goes directly to benefiting Menslink programs, such as one-on-one mentoring and our Silence is Deadly campaign, and to help all young men in Canberra create a better future.
After the auction, the crowd made their way to the dancefloor for an enthusiastic performance by the Elton John Experience, an internationally acclaimed tribute artist. The whole room was rocking along to classics such as Bennie And The Jets and Rocket Man, while we chatted the night away with other Menslink supporters.
This year at Menslink, we have witnessed the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our young guys. In the past year, Menslink reached more than 8,500 young men at 107 Silence is Deadly presentations, which is a significant increase from 2019-20.
The Menslink Big Night Out helps us support the work we do with young guys in the Canberra region through our free programs such as mentoring, counselling, the Silence is Deadly campaign, and P.R.I.D.E.
We’re already looking forward to our next Big Night Out, and we hope you can join us for it!
You can get in touch with us here, call (02) 6287 2226, or email info@menslink.org.au if you have any questions about what we do or how to get involved.