What started as three ‘fat farmers’ heading to the gym in Maitland has grown into one of South Australia’s most powerful rural health movements.
Fat Farmers: Rural Health Initiative now brings nearly 1000 people together every week across the state and beyond. That growth has been driven by the generosity of communities, volunteers, sponsors and donors who believed in a simple idea — connection saves lives.
Founded in 2012, Fat Farmers began when a small group of Yorke Peninsula farmers realised their health was slipping since they stopped playing footy. They were less active, more isolated, and, as their wives said, “they were starting to snore”. What happened next changed not only their lives, but the lives of thousands of others.
“What we quickly realised was that the physical impact of going to the gym was important but the mental health benefits and community connection were just as powerful,” says Richard Sheppy, the organisation’s CEO.
The founding farmers started organising BBQs on the footpath outside the gym to encourage other blokes to come along. At the time, especially in regional South Australia, it was virtually unheard of for blokes to be going to the gym — 99 percent of the Maitland gym’s clients were female.
However, Fat Farmers was about more than fitness. It was about breaking down isolation in rural communities, creating safe and welcoming spaces, and giving people permission to show up for each other. As farms grew bigger and people more spread out, those simple weekly gatherings became a lifeline.
Today, Fat Farmers supports more than 80 community groups nationally, with 40 across South Australia alone. That growth, Richard is clear, would not have been possible without giving.
“These days, head to the Maitland gym early on a Monday or Friday morning, and you’ll find a room full of farmers being put through their paces,” Richard says.
“Without the generosity and support of our community, Fat Farmers would still just be three fat Yorke Peninsula farmers going to the gym. We simply wouldn’t be where we are today.” — Richard Sheppy, CEO, Fat Farmers
In the early days, giving looked small, but it mattered. Local businesses donated sausages for a barbecue. A friend chipped in some cash to help buy merchandise or pay for the gym classes. Volunteers gave their time and helped make it all happen, without ever realising that their giving was just as important as anyone else’s.
“What might seem like a small contribution actually has a huge impact,” Richard explains. “If a donation covers a gym pass so people don’t have to pay, or helps run a community event, that’s quite literally the difference between someone turning up or staying home.”
Meanwhile, support from philanthropy and corporate partners has allowed Fat Farmers to build capacity, employ staff and reach more communities.
A partnership with The Hospital Research Foundation, which came on board as a major health partner, enabled the organisation to put people on the road — increasing the organisation’s reach by visiting more towns, starting new groups and having more conversations with locals.
“That support allowed us to grow and deliver more impact than we ever thought possible,” Richard says.
Giving has also helped bring bold ideas to life, including Fat Farmers’ mobile Health Hub — a 45-foot semi-trailer delivering free health checks at field days and community events.
“People trust us,” Richard says. “They’ll come and have a conversation with us that they might not have elsewhere. Those conversations and those health checks have saved lives.”
At its heart, Fat Farmers remains a grassroots movement. It relies on local champions, families, friends and supporters who believe that community matters. And that’s why the message for SA Giving Week is simple — you don’t need to give big to make a big difference.
“It’s not about the size of the donation,” Richard says. “It’s the cumulative effect. When people come together and give what they can, be it time, funding, support, the impact is incredible.”
Visit fatfarmers.com.au to get involved or explore the SA Giving Week website to learn other ways you can give in your own community.
