Rugby icon’s mental health talk brings tradies to tears

• Published date: 10 April 2024
• Author: Maddisyn Jeffares
• Publication title: Hastings Leader, The

The former All Black winger is a popular public speaker, and strives to normalise these topics and encourage people to reach out and look out for one another

One of Hawke’s Bay’s largest trades hubs, the TW Group has access to many professions under one roof, from property development, building and planning through to finishing touches.

This year the TW Group has been working on a full health and wellbeing initiative ingrained into its business strategy, alongside a Te Whare Tapa Whā model.

Te Whare Tapa Whā is a holistic Māori model emphasising the four dimensions; taha wairua (spiritual health), taha hinengaro (mental health), taha tinana (physical health), and taha whānua (family health).

As part of opening discussion of mental wellbeing in the work place, TW Group organised rugby icon and mental health advocate Sir John Kirwan to speak to more than 360 people, both live and live streamed across the country through 14 business divisions and their partners.

TW Group marketing and communication manager Rebecca Chatham said bringing Kirwan in to talk on mental health and wellbeing was an important introduction to the Te Whare Tapa Whā model for staff.

“He was a great bloke, he was real, mesmerising, inspiring and just raw.”

TW Group’s foundations were based around rugby and teamwork, so Kirwan was well received by everyone who attended, she said.

When sharing his story of mental health struggles and how he overcame those...