Your Mates Brewing launches new beer to honour police officer Russell Sheehan and raise mental health awareness

The daughter of a well-known Detective who sadly passed away in 2015 is fighting to raise awareness for police mental health with the help of a popular brewery. Read how here.

Detective Russell Sheehan's daughter Amy Sheehan. Picture: Asa Andersen.

A Sunshine Coast family has joined forces with a popular brewery to launch a new beer for mental health awareness in honour of their dad and local Detective who died in 2015.

Your Mates Brewing has revealed a limited-release low carb lager to raise awareness and funds of about $25,000 for police mental health and to pay tribute to late Detective Russell Sheehan.

Mr Sheehan took his own life on December 23, 2015 having suffered post traumatic stress disorder after serving for more than three decades in the police force.

The incident rocked his wife and four daughters.

Daughter Amy Sheehan said she approached the brewery to use beer as a way to support police mental health, given it would be a “great” conversation starter among men and mates.

“We’re pretty passionate about ensuring people don’t go through what we went through,” she said.

Detective Russell Sheehan's daughter Amy Sheehan. Picture: Asa Andersen.

The new brew will be available for purchase at a charity day on October 21, 2022 at the brewery’s headquarters with 50 cents from every schooner and can being donated to mental health service Blue Hope Support Services.

Ms Sheehan said there will be 150 cartons and eight kegs of the lager available on the day, which was expected to raise about $25,000.

“I don’t think we’re going to have any (beer) left,” she said.

She said the event was not only a tribute to her dad, but helped recognise Blue Hope. She said her family and friends had helped raise about $80,000 for the charity since her dad’s passing.

Kathy Sheehan, left, Kaitlyn Pobar, second left, and Amy Sheehan, second from right, alongside her partner Stephen Parr. Picture: Asa Andersen.

Blue Hope founding director Andrew Ayres said the new lager would encourage police officers to speak up about their mental health given officers typically upheld strong personas as community leaders.

“(It’s) providing a safe, non-judgmental environment for that to happen,” he said.

Your Mates Brewing venue manager Ryan Henshaw said it was great to support the state and region’s police force, especially as several of them were supporters of his brewery.

“It’s great to be able to give back,” he said.

Your Mates Brewing venue manager Ryan Henshaw. Picture: Asa Andersen.