In the lead up to Christmas on the Beyond The Back Paddock Podcast I am having a very special conversation with Shanna Whan..   Shanna is the rural woman, founder, CEO, and face behind Sober in the Country Ltd. She's an Australian of the Year recipient who decided to “do what she could to be part of the change” after almost losing her own life to alcohol addiction in 2015. Today, through her tireless advocacy, Sober in the Country has grown from an online blog into a nationally respected charity, shifting the entire conversation around booze in the bush and saving and changing lives. She lives in rural northwest New South Wales with her husband, 'Timbo' and her beloved dogs.   Sober in the Country is a national grassroots charity changing an ancient narrative across rural Australia by ensuring our mates know it's always #OK2SAYNO (to booze) in the bush. They're creating social impact and change by encouraging social inclusion, connecting peers to each other and to further support, and through their trademark story-telling and lived-experience advocacy.   Far from being anti-alcohol or prohibitionist in their approach, Sober in the Country openly discusses the link between rural mental health and alcohol harm using straight talk, humour, and the simple truth.   #OK2SAYNO   https://www.soberinthecountry.org/