After the loss of a young local farmer to suicide 10 years ago, the Tamworth community rallied together to bring batyr@school programs to students in the region. A decade later, the White Elephant Ball is still going strong, raising over half a million dollars and allowing almost 15,000 local young people access to batyr’s life-changing mental health programs.
The White Elephant Ball is a community-led annual fundraiser run by a team of volunteers in Tamworth. Every year, the volunteer committee hosts The White Elephant Ball as a fundraiser to support batyr. It all started as a commemoration to honour the life of local farmer Scotty Campbell.
Friends and family of Scotty Campbell describe him as a sportsman and popular member of the New England community. Scotty was a farmer’s son who had grown up in Walgett and studied agribusiness at UNE. In 2013, he married and after returning home from their honeymoon, Scotty’s boss announced his resignation and everyone expected him to apply for the job. Scotty mentioned to his wife that he did not feel prepared for the role and the pressure became overwhelming.
Less than 2 months after their wedding, Scotty was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. 6 days later, he picked up a script for medication. The next day, he took his own life.
Determined to break the stigma around mental health and suicide in the bush, his wife partnered with batyr and formed a local committee which saw the inaugural White Elephant Ball in 2014 raise $90,000 to put on a rural batyr coordinator.
Today, the current committee is dedicated to keeping the ball rolling, honouring Scotty’s life and supporting invaluable services for local school students aiding them with the tools to help others and themselves.
Images from the 2023 White Elephant Ball. Photos by Alpine Films.
Young people living in regional and remote areas encounter obstacles in accessing mental health care for a number of reasons including limited infrastructure and lack of localised services, smaller populations, and the elevated costs associated with delivering healthcare in rural settings. These challenges can often result in delayed access to preventive care, or worse, people choosing not to seek help at all due to accessibility.
batyr has been able to help address this by delivering our unique school programs to thousands of students across the region, thanks to the funds raised through the White Elephant Ball. This year, The White Elephant Ball celebrates its 10th anniversary!
Across the decade that the ball has been running, over $580,000 has been raised to support the delivery of batyr@school programs in Tamworth and surrounding areas.
The batyr team delivering a batyr@school program at Oxley High School.
Almost 15,000 year 9-12 students have been able to see a batyr@school program, at schools including Mungindi Central School, Inverell High School, Bundarra High School, Farrer Agricultural High School, The Armidale School, Bingara Central School, Peel High School, Quirindi High School, Oxley High School and McCarthy Catholic School.
During COVID after disruptions to the annual White Elephant Ball, the committee ran its first ever sister event, The White Elephant Lunch, and these lunches have continued to run every year as a way to help cover the costs of the White Elephant Ball later in the year, so that more funds can go to batyr programs in the region.
batyr CEO Katie Acheson (far left) and batyr COO Bryony Tucker (far right) at the White Elephant Lunch, May 2024. Photo by Alpine Films
The committee’s incredible efforts have also been recognised across media throughout the years, including features on NBN News, The Land, and ABC Rural.
Preparations for this year’s White Elephant Ball in October are already underway, with the 2024 White Elephant Lunch held in May a huge success.
"Mental health affects us all and I think the White Elephant Ball is such a great charity that helps our local community learn the tools they need to manage it. The committee is full of amazing people and I can’t wait to celebrate the 10th anniversary with everyone"
Alicia S
Committee Co-Chair, White Elephant Ball Committee 2024
“As a health professional, I see daily the impact of mental ill-health and the need for local resources to combat it. Working with a committee who have the same passion and commitment to providing those resources locally made the decision [to join] an easy one.”
If you are interested in giving back to the local community through sponsorship, or you have something you’d like to donate to our auctions or raffle for this year’s White Elephant Ball, you can get in touch with the committee by sending a message through their Facebook page.
Regional areas often go without mental health support, and the legacy of The White Elephant Ball is a true reflection of how compassionate, supportive and driven the Tamworth community is to change that is ensuring. We want to recognise and congratulate every individual that’s been involved in and attended these events over the last 10 years.
A special thank you in particular for the tireless efforts of the White Elephant Ball committee. Their dedication and commitment to raising awareness and funds for youth mental health have made a lasting impact on countless lives. The success of these events would not have been possible without their passion and hard work. Thank you for being the driving force behind this incredible initiative.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 000. You can find a comprehensive list of mental health support services here.