Sheona Devin raffling restored classic Mustang for Top Blokes Foundation

A Sydney philanthropist’s restoration project with her dad of a classic Mustang ­started as a pathway to healing – and now the duo is raffling off the car to raise cash for men’s health.

A Sydney philanthropist’s restoration project with her dad of a classic Mustang ­started as a pathway to healing – and now the duo is raffling off the car to raise cash for men’s health.

Sheona Devin was looking for a way to connect with her father Mike after her mother’s cancer diagnosis took a toll on his mental health.

Sheona Devin is donating a 1965 Mustang she and her father restored together to improve his mental health after her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Seeing her father in pain and wanting to make their ­relationship closer, Ms Devin set up a project – to restore a 1965 Mustang Fastback, ­lovingly named Delores.

“It all started with my mum getting sick and looking at my dad, and he was just combusting inside,” Ms Devin said.

“He’s a bloke in his 70s; that generation is stoic and they hold it all together, but when you see someone you love just crumbling … I just wanted to do a project with him to take his mind off what was going on.”

While she was working on the “healing” project with her dad, two close family friends took their own lives, leaving children and wives behind.

“As we were mending ourselves and mending the car, that happened, and I thought ‘it’s all well and good for us to have a beautiful car but can’t we do something better than that?’ And that’s where the idea came to give it to a charity to help guys in this situation,” Ms Devin said.

Money raised from the raffle will go to the Top Blokes Foundation, a charity supporting the mental health of men and boys.

The not-for-profit provides mentoring and education programs to teach boys and young men strategies for maintaining positive mental wellbeing.

The foundation’s managing director, Melissa Abu-Gazalah, said the raffle was the perfect way to give back for Men’s Health Week.

“Each ticket sold as part of this raffle will help young men across the country ­access essential mental health programs that reduce the risk of youth suicide, family violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and other risk-induced behaviours, empowering them to live healthier and more ­rewarding lives,” she said.

Raffle tickets are available at topblokes.org.au individually for $30 or in bundles until Friday July 30, with the raffle open to residents aged 18 and over in NSW, Queensland, the ACT and Victoria.

The restored Mustang Fastback features a 289 Windsor V8 motor, C4 automatic transmission, styled steel wheels, a honey-gold ­exterior and an ivy-gold ­interior.

The winner will be ann­ounced via a live raffle draw on Saturday July 31, with the prize including 12 months comprehensive insurance, 12 months registration, transfer duty and delivery to anywhere in NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT.