A gumboot day for Hastings District Council

Paddy Steffert, left, Hastings District Council's team leader for youth development wore gumboots along with other Hastings District Council staff on Friday. Photo / Warren Buckland

Who says gumboots are just for farmers? Certainly not the Hastings District Council who pulled on their gummies to celebrate Gumboot Day Friday.

The initiative comes from New Zealander of the Year Mike King who runs a mental health charity called I am hope.

Because depression can feel like you are wading through mud, King requested New Zealanders wear their gumboots to work or school and give a gold coin donation.

The money raised will help get young people appointments with private counselling professionals to speed up the access to care.

"Now more than ever, we need Kiwis to reach out to friends and whānau.

On Gumboot Friday, we want Kiwis to have lots of fun and take the opportunity to ask those you're closest to if they're okay," King said.

"Spending a day walking in someone else's shoes, New Zealanders can show people who are struggling that they're not alone, and that it's important and normal to talk about the things they're dealing with internally."

Along with the council, schools across the Hastings district were also getting on board to contribute to the goal of raising $2 million to fund counselling for school-aged children.

Hastings district councillor and Hawke's Bay District Health Board member Jacoby Poulain said she supported the event to recognise the issue is as important in Hastings as elsewhere in the country.

"I hope we can make this support at a local Hawke's Bay level ongoing," she said.

Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst urged the community to come into the city centre on Friday, and help raise money for this important campaign.

"Almost every family in Hastings will have either been directly affected by mental health or knows another whānau struggling with it.

"This campaign is really important for our community and I hope it will keep the conversation going about the importance of reaching out and asking for help.

"I'm proud to support Gumboot Friday and what it is trying to achieve for our young people."