Isuzu and Gotcha4Life hit the road for mental health

The roadshow was ably supported by an Isuzu NNR 45-150 Crew Cab truck decked out with custom body and all manner of mod cons such as Weber barbecues, a Nespresso coffee machine and more.

The navy blue NNR 45-150 Crew will be raffled later this year to raise money for the Gotcha4Life Foundation, in support of their goal of zero suicides in Australia.

Mateship Miles was a week-long roadshow travelling through regional Victoria and New South Wales towns, with the aim to kick-start conversations about the importance of building mental fitness, meaningful mateship, social and emotional connection, and good health in communities.

On the roadshow the team has visited such centres as Shepparton, Wagga Wagga, Canberra and Nowra in an epic 1000-kilometre journey, with the program wrapping up in Wollongong.

Isuzu Australia Limited has partnered with Gotcha4Life in 2022 to support the foundation’s activities; a key element of the partnership being Isuzu’s donation of the NNR Crew, with custom service body generously built and provided by IAL business partner Service Bodies Australia (SBA).

Of course, the truck comes with a host of additional features such as the barbecues, coffee machine, fridges, TV and soundbar, all powered courtesy of Redarc Electronics and is being raffled off, with all proceeds supporting the great work of Gotcha4Life.

The Isuzu NNR, with its distinctive Gotcha4Life Mateship Miles wrap has been a key focal point at the Today Show outdoor broadcasts and community events.

Along the way, hundreds of sausages provided by Woolworths have been sizzled on the barbecue fitted to the NNR.

Simon Humphries, IAL’s Chief Engineer, Product Development, left Isuzu’s Head Office in Melbourne behind for the week, experiencing life on the road and supporting the roadshow as chief pilot of the NNR.

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“The NNR 45-150 Crew has independent front suspension and showcases our latest suite of safety features, so the drive has been comfortable and it’s been great to get out in some of our product for an extended period of time,” he said.

“Being on the road has been so much fun… we are breaking the drives up into three-to four-hour trips and the Nespresso coffee machine has been much appreciated and refreshing along the way.

“I personally feel quite proud of this truck and the Mateship Miles journey with Gotcha4Life. Building mental fitness in the transport and automotive industry is so important and a timely issue for us to address,” Mr Humphries said.

“People have gathered around the truck to grab a sausage, a piece of fruit or a coffee and have opened up from there through chatting and sharing stories.

“Every stop along the way dozens of people have come together to look at the NNR and get talking about mental fitness,” Mr Humphries said.

“Service Bodies Australia has been an important partner in developing and building this customised truck, creating something really special that’s eye-catching on the road.

“The Mayor of Wagga Wagga even came out to chat and grab a coffee,” Mr Humphries continued.

Mr Humphies has not been the only person behind the wheel of the Gotcha4Life truck. Adam White, IAL’s Queensland Zone Service and Technical Manager also travelled south for the trip to add his support to the campaign.

“The Gotcha4Life team have been amazing to spend time with,” added Mr Humphries.

“It’s been great to get a glimpse into what the foundation does to bring people together, a really enlightening experience all round.”