Get ready New Zealand. Long or short, curly or straight, classic or modern... mullet season is here.

It’s the return of The Mullet Matters, a fundraising campaign in support of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.

Last year’s inaugural event saw almost 700 mullet-loving souls take up the challenge and set their mullets loose around New Zealand, starting important conversations about mental health and raising over $130,000 for the mental health promotion charity.

One of those who took part last year and is back for another round, is Hayden McGehan from Ōtautahi, Christchurch.  

Hayden McGehan. Photo: Supplied.

Hayden says the power of the mullet is in its ability to spark important conversations about mental health.

“You don’t have to walk up to someone and say, ‘do you want to talk about mental health?’, but someone’s going to come up to you and be like, “what’s up with the mullet?’ That’s your in," says Hayden.

During last year’s campaign, Hayden, a freelance illustrator, created a mullet wearing character for friends who run a barbershop.

He was so inspired by The Mullet Matters experience that he had the character tattooed as a permanent reminder.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get rid of the mullet, but the tattoo will be there forever – that whole event, I’m never going to forget it because it was so powerful.”

The Mullet Matters group. Photo: Supplied.

The funds raised during The Mullet Matters will help fund the vital mental health resources the Mental Health Foundation provides for free to one in five of us who will experience mental distress this year, and to those who support them.

Each year the foundation shares around a million free mental health resources around the motu – covering topics such as suicide prevention, wellbeing, depression, anxiety, suicide loss, and more.  

Taranaki’s Blake Taylor is another returning mulleteer. He knows the value of the free resources.

“I have some hanging up in my office and having them for free, without the barrier of cost, for our people who are seeking help is amazing.” 

Cheyenne Marsters. Photo: Supplied.

There were plenty of women who took up the challenge in 2023 as well, like Gisborne’s Cheyenne Marsters.

“Walking into the barbershop to get my hair cut, at first was quite intimidating, but people in the shop overheard me talking about why I was having the haircut and as I was walking out afterwards, they started clapping and I felt really proud and it made me go, ‘Yeah, I want to rock this even harder!’”

To join Haydo, Blake, Cheyenne and hundreds of mullet champions in making a positive change for mental health, visit themulletmatters.co.nz.