This Friday 22 July, not-for-profit Gidget Foundation will host its highly anticipated Ladies Lunch at Doltone House Hyde Park. Slip into your best cocktail attire as Gidget goes to Manhattan for an afternoon of cosmopolitans, fun and conversation to help break the stigma around perinatal depression and anxiety for expectant and new parents and their families.
Whether you’re a Carrie or a Samantha, the Gidget goes to Manhattan lunch is the perfect excuse to gather friends, family and colleagues together for a fun afternoon to support an important cause. All funds raised from ticket sales and raffles on the day will help sustain the ongoing care provided by the Gidget Foundation, which includes specialised psychological services for expectant women and new parents as well as education and awareness programs for health professionals and the community.
Nearly 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers will experience perinatal anxiety and depression and the signs are often hidden and not fully understood. The Gidget Foundation’s initiatives help to support early detection and treatment throughout the perinatal period – from pregnancy through to 12 months following the birth. Perinatal anxiety and depression impacts partners, families, friends and workplaces and can also have long-term consequences on the emotional development of children.
The Gidget Foundation’s CEO Catherine Knox says the ladies lunch is the most important fundraiser on the not-for-profit charity’s calendar.
“The Gidget Ladies Lunch is a fabulous afternoon that’s always lots of fun but is also a really important way for us to get the wider conversation started about the mental health of expectant and new parents,” says Knox.
“There are so many, often unnecessary, expectations and pressures on new parents. Through our Gidget House facility in North Sydney and The Emotional Wellbeing Program at Royal North Shore Hospital we aim to detect any serious anxiety or depression as early as possible and help those parents to get to a place where they can enjoy the special addition to their lives.”
The Gidget Foundation receives no government funding and is entirely supported by philanthropic individuals and businesses, including the community, corporate sector, the medical profession, members of parliament and the media. Companies and individuals can support the foundation in several ways, including through a purchasing a ticket to the ladies lunch, corporate donation, sponsoring a table, or by offering an auction item at the ladies lunch.
Gidget goes to Manhattan will be opened by Australian comedian Mandy Nolan with the NSW Minister for Mental Health, Prue Goward emceeing the event. Unite with like-minded women whilst supporting the foundation at the annual ladies lunch fundraiser. Organise the girls quickly though, as the event sells out fast!
Gidget goes to Manhattan Ladies Lunch
Friday, 22 July 2016
12pm – 3:30pm
Doltone House Hyde Park, 181 Elizabeth St, Sydney
Individual tickets: $160
Group table: $1600