Member for Orange Phil Donato and Carl Smith team up with charity Mr Perfect to tackle men's mental health issues

He also knows the dire ramifications of mental health issues can happen overnight though, particularly in men and disproportionately in regional and rural areas.

That's why he and former colleague Carl Smith have teamed up with men's health charity Mr Perfect to host a series of monthly barbecues to help target the issue further in the local community.

The charity's More Than A BBQ concept has taken off in the city and by bringing it to the country, Mr Donato and Mr Smith are hopeful of creating a casual, comfortable space for men to connect and potentially help each other.

"Far too many men are taking their own lives in our community. We need to do more and, really, a few sausages and some bread is the least we can do to keep tackling this problem," Mr Donato said.

"Males represent three out of every four suicide deaths and, tragically, suicide occurs in every community but more so out here in the country.

"Blokes are notorious for bottling things up ... and isolation is a huge issue. So it's about bringing men together to talk, connect, build friendships and relationships and get things off their chest if they need to.

"I've found gathering around a barbecue is a great way to draw blokes together and the perfect atmosphere to get conversation flowing."

Mr Smith echoed those sentiments and praised the increasing, positive messages which help break down barriers and encourage men to open up, adding this concept will add to those messages with action on the ground.

"We hear 'it's okay to talk' or 'it's good to open up' a lot, and it is, but it might not always come in a situation where you can do that. This kind of initiative is providing a situation where we can come together and talk," Mr Smith said.

"As soon as Phil told me about it I knew I wanted to come on board because I doubt there's anyone in Orange or regional NSW who hasn't been touched by suicide.

"I've known people who have committed suicide, I've seen them the day before it happened and there was no indication of what was going on.

"You can have your best mate with all day long but you might not be able to see the signs, so I think these barbecues will be a great thing for people in regional NSW."

Both Mr Donato and Mr Smith made a point of explaining the barbecues aren't just for men who might be suffering or struggling mentally, nor is there any pressure. They are, after all, planning long-term.

"We're inviting all men in the community to come down, have a feed, meet some new mates and if they want to, have a chat," Mr Donato said.

"There's no pressure on anyone to say or do anything, just come down to the first one and introduce yourselves and see how it goes from there," Mr Smith added.

"People may not be comfortable seeing a GP or a psychologist and they may not want to open up straight away either, but we know just speaking to someone can be really important. That's why this won't be a one-off," Mr Donato said.

"We'll be holding these barbecues every month, so it might take some people two, three or four barbecues to build some relationships and be comfortable enough to talk about things, and that's okay."

The first of the monthly barbecues will be held on Sunday, February 7 at Orange's Cook Park, beginning at about midday.

"They're free too, and who doesn't love a free feed?," Mr Smith added.

If you or someone you know needs help, contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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