About Us
The Mates in Mind story
In 2026, Peter founded Mates in Mind in partnership with Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury Sydney and Mentoring Men, with a vision of equipping sporting clubs with the practical tools, confidence and support to strengthen mental wellbeing and create lasting cultural change.
With more than 20 years of coaching community sport, Peter understands the trust placed in leaders and the lifelong connections forged within local sporting clubs. His belief is that these clubs are uniquely positioned to foster belonging, encourage early conversations and support people before they reach crisis.
That vision was also shaped by personal experience. More than a decade after losing his brother to suicide, Peter made a commitment to help create communities where no one has to struggle alone and where conversations happen before people reach crisis.
Peter is an accredited Lifeline Crisis Supporter, a member of the Lifeline Bondi Community Response Team and has spent many years volunteering across community organisations and local sporting clubs.
"I've learnt that most people don't need someone to fix their problems. They need someone who genuinely notices, listens and helps them take the next step. That's why Mates in Mind exists."
In June 2022, he and his dog Maple joined Delta Therapy Dogs, visited retirement homes to bring connection and comfort to elderly residents experiencing loneliness and isolation. For two years, until Maple sadly passed away, he volunteered consistently and selflessly, offering time, compassion and genuine presence.
As a Lifeline volunteer, Peter also developed the skills and courage to recognise distress and respond with empathy and care. Following the Bondi tragedy, he stepped forward as part of the Lifeline community response team, supporting people during an extraordinarily traumatic time.
Why Mental Health Champions in Sports Clubs Work
Evidence strongly supports the proposition that embedding mental health champions and training within community sports clubs would improve mental health outcomes, reduce suicide and self-harm risk factors
Reaching priority populations, including male and female youth and adult males
Improving help-seeking and help-offering
Reducing stigma
Strengthening social connection
Enabling earlier intervention
As well as the strong protective benefits of physical activity, Clubs are perfect for fostering greater social connection, mateship and mental wellbeing.
Our Partners
Mates in Mind is a program and service operated by Lifeline Harbour to Hawkesbury Sydney (Lifeline H2HS). The Mates in Mind program includes partnerships with other fantastic organisations, such as Mentoring Men, sponsors and supporters, to deliver the program to community sports clubs.
Serving the nation and Sydney’s North, Lifeline H2HS is an independent Lifeline centre within Lifeline Australia’s national network.
The organisation provides a suite of national and local crisis support and suicide prevention services, including Lifeline’s national 24/7 telephone crisis line 13 11 14, counselling services and community support programs.
Lifeline H2HS is a not-for-profit organisation, with operations funded through partnerships, grants, donations, retail operations and its own fundraising efforts.
