Gotcha4Life is a not-for-profit foundation on a mission to inspire and enable all Australians to take action to build their mental fitness, Kindred has been supporting the Gotcha4Life Cup for three years and each year managed to raise more funds and increase awareness about the importance of mental fitness. The Gotcha4Life Cup 2024 was not just a night of thrilling rugby but a significant step forward in supporting mental fitness across Australia. This was achieved with the combined efforts of volunteers, staff, and the community. We spoke to Nathan Reeves, Kindred’s General Manager in Australia to learn more about this initiative.
Hi, Nathan! This year's Gotcha4Life Cup was a remarkable event. Can you tell us more about what makes this initiative so important?
The Gotcha4Life Cup is essential because it focuses on raising awareness and funds for mental fitness across Australia. Mental health is a critical issue, and the funds raised from this event help support programs that build resilience and mental fitness, ultimately saving lives. This year, we raised $232,000, which will significantly impact the community.
The concept of physical fitness is obvious to all, eat well and exercise. We have decades of research and education focusing on treating our bodies well. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about mental fitness, and this is the key focus of Gotcha4Life.
Gotcha4Life are pushing for mental fitness to reach the same levels of thought and action as physical fitness and in doing so train both young and old minds alike to be able to weather the storm of uncertainty that navigating our modern world brings. The magic of Gotcha4Life is the core understanding that while physical fitness can be a very solitary pursuit, mental fitness needs to incorporate our own social villages as it is our bonds with those around us, that nurtures and strengthens our resilience. To quote Gus Worland the founder of Gotcha4Life “So that no one worries alone”.
The Gotcha4Life Cup raises awareness for this cause by bringing together two of the NRL’s top teams together in a stadium full of screaming fans (25K) to put this message front and centre. Every Gotcha4Life Cup game has been televised nationally (1.25 million viewers) and all Unibet’s sponsorship inventory has been donated to Gotcha4Life each year, including ground signage, LEDs, corner posts and the highly coveted back of jersey position on the Roosters playing kit.
The amount raised this year is impressive, how was this possible?
Through donations from Unibet, Shaw and Partners along with the auctions of jerseys worn by both team and a dedicated team of volunteers, comprised of 25 Unibet staff members who gave up their evening asking for donations from the 25 thousand people in attendance. Our volunteers really outdid themselves this year, surpassing last year's charity raffle by hitting over the $18,000 mark. A special mention goes to Shilo Harvey, who, despite only being with us for a bit over a week, managed to collect $1,400 on her own.
It sounds like a lot of hard work went into this event. Can you share some highlights from the night?
Absolutely. The game itself was thrilling, going down to the wire and keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats. The crowd were also thrilled with the half time Celebrity touch football game, where some of Australia’s finest athletes and entertainment personalities took the field in special Gotcha4Life gear to promote the coming together of individuals for a united cause. Lining up for the game where Unibet’s very own Ambassadors former UFC middleweight champion and future hall of famer Robert Whitaker and rugby league royalty Brian Fletcher, unfortunately neither of our superstars managed to score and they lost to Australia’s queen of the waves Lane Beachley. One of the most memorable moments was seeing the children of our staff lining the tunnel as the Gotcha4Life Roosters charged onto the field. It was a truly unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
This is the third year Kindred has supported the Gotcha4Life Cup. What has been the impact of this ongoing partnership?
Our ongoing support of the Gotcha4Life Cup has significantly contributed to positive perceptions of mental health. Each year, we've managed to raise more funds and increase awareness about the importance of mental fitness. This year, with some huge names in Rugby League getting behind the game, we’ve built a strong foundation to help people push through tough times. Our goal is to push the total raised over the years beyond the million-dollar mark in our fourth year of support.
For those who couldn’t attend this year, what would you say to encourage them to join next year?
For anyone who couldn’t make it this year, I strongly encourage you to come along next year. The videos and photos can’t capture the atmosphere of the night fully. It's an incredible event for an amazing cause, and being there in person is an unforgettable experience. We look forward to seeing more people join us and help us break records and make an even bigger impact.I’d love to get some of our big name European ambassadors to our celebrity touch football game next year, maybe we can kick start the Gotcha4Life programs globally.
