Wannon Water's vibrant new workgear gets the conversation started

23 February 2022

Gateway Road shirts 

Wannon Water has introduced a vibrant new work shirt that aims to start conversations around mental health and reduce the rate of male suicide.

The shirts are in the corporation’s hi-vis yellow but they also feature a bright and funky pattern on the collar, lower sleeves and around the base panel. They are produced by TradeMutt, a social enterprise workwear brand built for tradies by tradies that is transforming the way that workers across Australia talk about mental health.

Wannon Water project manager Nathan Harders was behind the idea of introducing the shirts as part of the corporation’s uniform catalogue and he worked with procurement coordinator Sheree Cameron to make it a reality.

Managing Director Andrew Jeffers congratulated the pair on their initiative which has been roundly embraced by employees as part of the corporation’s Zero Harm mindset.

“We know that starting a conversation around mental health can often be the hardest step,” Mr Jeffers said. “By introducing the new gear to our employees we have sparked discussions, not just within our teams, but also within the communities we work in across South West Victoria.”

TradeMutt’s founders, former carpenters Dan Allen and Ed Ross, created the loud and vibrant shirts as a catalyst to talk about mental health in men, a topic that has been hard to approach in the past. They aim to create the cultural shift necessary to effectively lower the rate of suicide in Australia.

The shirts are emblazoned with the words ‘This Is A Conversation Starter’ (TIACS) across the back which is the name of the not-for-profit mental health support service funded by TradeMutt. Every shirt purchase goes towards making a social impact by assisting to fund TIACS. The enterprise also works with Sendable, a third-party logistics service focused on increasing long term employment and skills for people with disabilities.

On the right pocket of the shirts are the letters YNWA, a tribute to one of Mr Allen’s best mates who lived and breathed Liverpool Football Club. In his memory, it’s a reminder for anyone wearing one of the shirts, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

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