A local man has set up a range of social activities - including a run club - aimed at creating a “safe community” for locals.

Builder’s apprentice Tim Douglas started ‘After Laughter’ in 2022, organising a few events during that first year.

“The idea for After Laughter came from seeing the mental health struggles of my friends, family, and myself,” he told the Wānaka App.

“I noticed that people are often shy about discussing mental health, even though it's an issue for over a quarter of Kiwis.”

Without any formal mental health qualifications, Tim decided the best way he could help was “creating a safe community for people” by organising events that people would want to attend, using them as a way to spread a message.

“I wanted to focus on those who haven't dealt with mental health issues themselves because, in my experience, the stigma usually comes from people who don't understand what it's like, making it difficult for those struggling to talk about it.” 

Tim said people who haven't faced mental health challenges often don't learn about the topic on their own.

“Whether it's music, art, sports, or any other distraction locals are into at the moment, I wanted to get everyone together. These events became a space for people to meet new friends, discuss how to have those tougher conversations, and support each other. 

“As a result, I've created a little community of regulars and it’s been incredibly fun and rewarding to do.”

Last year one of Tim’s friends trained for and ran the Queenstown Half-Marathon, and told Tim how much it helped with their mental health. That led Tim to the idea of setting up a run club which would take people “from couch to marathon” by November.

Tim said the “saviour” of the run club was the help and support of friends Alice and Fionn from the outdoor lifestyle store Heatwave. 

“In a sport which can often be intimidating, we wanted to create a really open and supportive environment where people didn’t feel like they had to be at any specific level to join.”

Eighty-four people have already signed up for the run club, Tim said.

“We’ve got runners from all stages in their journey and ages from about 20 to 60. It really is such a cool opportunity to be able to work with everyone.”

There are other After Laughter social events planned for the next few months, including yoga, a group hike, and more. Events so far have included a Heatwave Alleycat race and a group gym seminar put together by Pure Performance. Rhyme x Reason and Bao have also offered membership deals and the Queenstown Marathon has offered 20 percent off entry.

Tim said he hopes that everyone involved in the run club will achieve their goals, “whether it’s breaking a time, meeting friends, trying something new or even overcoming a current battle they are having”. 

“At its core, the run club is something people can rely on, it’s a welcoming and supportive space and we’ve made it clear we’ll be there for members rain, snow, shine, whatever gets thrown at us,” he said. 

Find more information about After Laughter here, or on Instagram @afterlaughter.nz and @it's.heatwave. The website is afterlaughter.co.nz, and people can sign up for the marathon here.

PHOTO: Supplied