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Passionate individuals from far and wide will be supported through our EMPOWERED Scholarship Program to become personal trainers and make a real difference in their farming communities.
For the third year in a row, Hutcheon & Pearce are thrilled to continue the EMPOWERED Scholarship program, offering passionate
health and fitness enthusiasts the chance to become an inspiring personal trainer within the Active Farmers network.
The success of our EMPOWERED applicants over the past two years is a testament to both the program and the dedication of these individuals. We are excited to extend this opportunity to six more people, meaning six additional communities will benefit from Active Farmers’ vision to build fitter, more resilient, and connected communities.
Active Farmers is a grass roots organisation established in response to the alarming mental health statistics in regional Australia. With a goal to build resilient and connected communities, Active Farmers offer regular group fitness classes in a fun and interactive environment. Centred on the ‘team sport effect’, these classes create a sense of belonging for community members across rural and regional Australia. With 1 in 3 hard working Aussie farmers reporting a decline in their mental health in recent years, the proactive approach to health of Active Farmers is more crucial than ever.
With one of Active Farmers main challenges being finding committed trainers in isolated farming communities, the EMPOWERED Scholarship Program emerged as our way of supporting the organisation by providing rural people with access to Personal Training education, enabling them to inspire, motivate and make a difference in their communities.
Arron Hutcheon spoke to the significance of EMPOWERED and its alignment with our own values and mission at Hutcheon & Pearce.
“Active Farmers is a fantastic organisation with a strong purpose, and we feel closely aligned in values. We rely on the same rural and regional communities and feel the same responsibility to take care of those communities – not only because they are our customers but also because we employ from those communities and we live in them, too. We know that we are nothing without our farming communities and we are happy to be able to contribute to their health and wellbeing in this way. And if it can help just one person with their mental health and wellbeing, to have a positive impact on those alarming statistics, then it will be a win.”
Active Farmers CEO Mark Slater leads the team of qualified personal trainers across the country and says the demand for this community led activity is ever-growing.
“These scholarships will really empower the 6 trainers by giving them the qualification and experience they need to go on and use that for the greater good of their communities.”
If you’re passionate about your farming community’s health and wellbeing and want to start up a regular fitness program in your town, contact Active Farmers to find out how. Visit:
www.hutcheonandpearce.com.au/empowered
PAST EMPOWERED PARTICIPANTS
NICOLE LUND
I grew up in Yeppoon, QLD and now live on a property near Clermont, Central Queensland with my husband and children. I run classes at our local community hall in Kilcummin, which is about 30 km from our property.
I applied for the scholarship to integrate Active Farmers into my community. Our widespread
community can be quite isolating, but the scholarship has enabled me to start weekly classes, providing a chance for people to get together for a chat and a laugh. Our farmers are already benefiting from the opportunity.
I love that Active Farmers targets small communities with limited resources and supports mental wellbeing as well as health. All the Trainers are supportive of each other no matter how far spread we are!
I am currently running two classes a week at the Kilcummin Hall. I aim to encourage more people to join my classes and, with the support of Active Farmers, hold a mindfulness/mental health workshop in my community.
LAURA POTTS
I was born in Cumbria, UK, and came to Australia with my partner in 2017 for a year-long backpacking holiday. We ended up in Hillston for our 88 days of farm work and fell in love with the place and people. Seven years later, we’re still here!
I applied for the EMPOWERED scholarship because our town’s previous PT trainer relocated, leaving a gap. Many community members were keen on health and fitness and missed having local classes, so I decided to bring fitness back to Hillston! The scholarship has been invaluable for both me and my community, helping us stay fit. I love seeing participants go from strength to strength both physically and mentally.
The Active Farmers Network feels like a huge family! Everyone is so supportive and always ready to help. I’ve attended a couple of Active Farmers events and it’s always so surprising how small the world actually is! There’s something so very special about the agricultural industry and the connections you can make.
I run two Active Farmers classes weekly in Hillston, on Mondays at 6 pm and Fridays at 6 am. My classes are well attended, with over 100 different participants in the past year which is so fantastic to see. My goal is to see more men join our weekly sessions!
SAM BEAVIS
I am from Avoca, a small town in central Victoria, where I grew up on a sheep farm with my parents and nine siblings, often helping on the farm! I am now a qualified baker and currently own a bakery in Donald, VIC, where I live with my wife and two children. I will soon be running my Active Farmers sessions in Donald and am looking forward to engaging with the
community!
It’s been a dream of mine since l was a child to be involved in fitness. When the opportunity arose to gain qualifications and get involved, I jumped at the chance. It is a fantastic opportunity, and I am very grateful to be part of it.
I love Active Farmers because the concept is amazing. Rural areas often get left out due to their location, but this organisation gives everyone the chance to do something great for themselves in a friendly and social environment.
I am currently completing my Cert IV in Fitness and look forward to sharing my knowledge with the local community of Donald. I can’t wait to get started. I’ve been working out for the past seven years, so this will be great for me personally as well as for my community
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