MATES HELPING MATES

When I first heard about MATES, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to support them. Their work is incredible, and getting involved in the Big Lap was a no-brainer. I love walking, and in my first year, I set a goal to walk 1,000 km while also learning to run. Walking isn’t just great exercise—it helps clear my head. So, combining my love for movement with supporting MATES just made sense.

Starting the challenge wasn’t difficult, but completing it was another story. I spend most of my time sedentary, but during breaks, I made it a habit to walk a lap or two around our site—each lap being 1.5 km. Along the way, I connected with workers, spreading awareness about why I was doing the Big Lap. And I never walked alone—my dog Toffee was by my side for every kilometre, including the ones on site!

I was lucky to be part of a powerhouse team made up of colleagues from Hanssen and Train & Retain (our apprenticeship company). Our team was as diverse as it was supportive—Managing Directors, Field Officers, Admin, Engineers, Apprentices, and Site Tradies. We encouraged each other, shared plenty of laughs, and lifted each other up on tough days. It was the dream team, and I couldn’t have done it with better people. Many of these teammates are my daily go-to people and mentors, so it was perfect to be raising awareness and funds for such an important cause together. We hope to inspire even more people to join us this year!

One of the best parts of the Big Lap is that everyone finds their own way to challenge themselves. Last year, I, Robyn Hixon, pushed myself to learn to ride a bike (just barely made it!), while others tried running, hitting personal bests, or simply getting out and moving more. No matter what, it’s all good for us, isn’t it?

I 100% recommend getting involved. What’s not to love? We’re raising money for an incredible cause that supports us all day, every day—it’s only right that we support MATES in return. When sign-ups open, I make sure to spread the word across the office and worksites, and even if people can’t join in, they usually support by donating. I also meet up with the Train & Retain legends, visiting all of our Hanssen/Finbar sites to spread awareness about why we do this.