Maryborough firefighters to walk 60km for Movember charities

Dressed in the gear they would normally wear to battle a blaze, these Queensland firefighters are instead donning their equipment and going on a march for a good cause.

Kitted up in heavy duty gear, the firefighters of Maryborough will walk 60km around Ululah Lagoon this month to raise money for charities focusing on men’s health.

In honour of Movember, the team will come together to raise money during the event.

The money raised will go to a variety of charities supporting men’s health.

And of course, in honour of Movember, many members of the team are growing a moustache to help raise awareness.

The community is invited to come along to the family-friendly event and support the firefighters as they complete the 60km walk.

Firefighter Sharnte Butler said globally, 60 men took their lives every hour.

“That’s alarmingly high,” she said.

Being in a male-dominated profession, it had made Ms Butler think of ways to address the health issues that affected her colleagues.

Firefighters Sharnte Butler and Brody Walters kitted up to raise funds for Movember charities.

“It’s pretty close to home for us and myself,” she said.

“It’s important for us to support the men in our lives, our brothers, mates, dads, uncles.”

As well as raising funds for mental health charities and suicide prevention, money would also be given to charities that funded research into prostate and testicular cancer, Ms Butler said.

“We’re coming together on the 12th of November as a group.

“The reason we are doing 60km is for the 60 men who take their lives each hour, every hour.

“That walk will be done in this gear, this is our full structure firefighting gear that we wear inside of burning buildings, our helmets and a few of us will be wearing breathing apparatus.”

The walk will kick off at 9am on November 12.