S.H.E.D. Talks
Sustaining Healthy Farms Through Empowerment and Dedication
About Project
The title S.H.E.D. Talks comes from an acronym which represents Sustaining Healthy Farms Through Empowerment and Dedication. Research for this project was done through the Men's Shed Association which was developed in Manitoba, Ontario and is a peer-run group that provides a safe and welcoming place for men to work on meaningful projects. Additionally, this is demonstrated through engaging in activities such as carpentry, construction, music, watching sports, etc., in aims of reducing social isolation.
Gateway's S.H.E.D. Talks project focuses on building connections and empowering an agricultural
community in Huron and Perth County. Further, it focuses on the goal of reducing social isolation and lessening the daily stressors that farmers experience.
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On Friday, December 1, 2023, Gateway CERH launched S.H.E.D. Talks in rural Southwestern Ontario
The launch featured guest speakers Peter Johnson (Wheat Pete), Kevin Bilyea (OPP), Tom Melady, Glen McNeil (Warden of Huron County), and Gwen Devereaux (President of Gateway CERH). The event took place at the Four Winds Barn in Brussels, ON where Gateway CERH hosted over 80 farmers for an afternoon of education and heart warming conversations.
On Friday, February 24, 2023, Gateway CERH recieved a $25,000 grant from Hydro One towards the S.H.E.D. Talks Project.
Hydro One announced the 25 charitable organizations, Indigenous communities and municipalities that will each receive a grant of $25,000 from the Energizing Life Community Fund. This is the third year in a row that the fund will support community-led initiatives that promote physical, emotional, and psychological safety and well-being for Ontarians.
This year, one of the recipients of the Energizing Life Community Fund is the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health. With Hydro One's support, the organization plans to expand its S.H.E.D. Talks program, a communal and collaborative space for farmers to gather, build connections and access mental health support.
Our farmers are the most important business people driving the local, rural economy here and feeding our community. Keeping Farmers healthy should be the number one priority for our community.
- Gwen Devereaux, President of Gateway CERH
A big thank you to our help organizations for this project:
