CO-FOUNDER AND SPOKESPERSON
A trade-qualified painter and decorator in Castlemaine for almost 20 years, Jeremy (Jez) has experienced the highs and lows associated with the building industry financially, physically and mentally and would like tradies to be more conscious of how depression, stress, tiredness and frustration can impact their lives and loved ones around them.
“The pain of regret is far greater than the pain of hard work.”
CO-FOUNDER
Catherine Pilgrim is a Visual Artist and mother of two boys living in Central Victoria. A co-founder of HALT, Catherine is committed to helping spread the positive message that groups such as LIFELINE and BEYOND BLUE are available when people need them.
HALT PROJECT COORDINATOR
Steve brings a broad range of experience to the HALT team, having worked most recently in Community Health, supporting community-based suicide prevention activity along with a range of community health and wellbeing initiatives.
Steve understands the value and impact of the work HALT does in supporting tradies and blue collar workers and is keen to support the work of the HALT team and nurture key relationships with our funding bodies and research partners.
HALT PROJECT WORKER
Mark Foley brings a rich combination of skills and experience to HALT. A long-time local of South East Melbourne, Mark is based in the South East region and keen to support his local community of trade and blue collar workers.
While Mark can be found with a whistle in hand on a Saturday afternoon keeping the local footy game on track in his spare time, he has strong community engagement and rapport building skills from a career working across a range of sectors. Mark can strike up a yarn with pretty much anyone and quickly builds trust and comfort with his audience.
Mark has previously been a volunteer with Lifeline and understands the role good mental health and wellbeing plays in reducing rates of suicide.
HALT PROJECT WORKER
Jem is a Project Worker in the North West Melbourne region. Drummer, screen printer and cook – he’s worked with his hands his whole life. He is passionate about reducing the stigmas that surround mental health and help-seeking.
Jem believes that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s an act of bravery.
HALT PRESIDENT
Stuart is married and has 5 kids born between 2000 and 2003. They are now independent adults, leaving Stuart time to give back to HALT.
Stuart is a UK qualified Management Accountant. He has been running his own commercial accounting practice since 2003 and has recently launched a specialised service for Builders and Tradies. It was whilst researching builders and tradies that Stuart came across HALT’s work with mental health and suicide prevention.
The work HALT does to help prevent suicide and promote mental health struck a chord with Stuart who has had two situations with very skilled tradies who had gotten themselves into trouble in their business. Running a business is a different skill set to being a tradesman. Luckily, following a few basic rules will keep them out of trouble but these skills have not been included in any builders or tradie training that Stuart is aware of. In fact, there have been some courses which guide tradies how to raise quotes by taking cost and adding 20%, which is a certain recipe for financial troubles.
Stuart’s goal is to help the HALT committee in his role as President and to support actual tradies through a series of free guides on “how to run your business administration and finances” videos.
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Stefanie is a registered mental health nurse with 14 years experience in the tertiary and primary mental health sector.
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Ange works in Healthcare as a Community Health Nurse and has experience in the Primary Care Partnership sector. She has been witness to the gaps in mental health awareness and connection to services.
Ange has felt the impact of mental health issues on loved ones and her community, and has worked with and supported HALT since 2015.
COMMITTEE MEMBER
Chef for 22 years, poor mental health for 30 years. In August 2021, I walked away from the hospitality industry after the second breakdown in 6 months.
During the pandemic and whilst still working as a chef, I started studying a Cert IV in Mental Health, with the main aim of one day focusing on mental health within hospitality.
In December 2021, I became Australia’s first ambassador for the UK-based hospitality & mental health organisation, The Burnt Chef Project. Through my own socials, ‘Mental Health and the Hospitality Industry’ and TBCP, I started what I thought was an impossible task – breaking down the generations of toxicity in the hospitality industry.
I have held 2 events, in Geelong and Melbourne, introducing Australia to The Burnt Chef Project. Collaborations with various organisations (including HALT) are on the radar for 2023.
I want people who are struggling to be aware that there is help available, and it is not weak to speak up. We need to stamp out the stereotypical ‘if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen…’ mindset.
I am now on the outside, looking back into the hospitality industry.
“DON’T PUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ON THE BACK BURNER”
Merv Stewart is passionate about making a difference and he has the drive and experience to make meaningful things happen with the doers he respects and admires. He understands that collaboration and connections are paramount – constantly reaching out to others, seeing what he can learn from them, what knowledge he can share, what ideas and opportunities can come out of potential partnerships and collaboration.
Merv has been a strong and constant supporter of HALT’s meaningful grassroots work since he first saw founder Jeremy Forbes speak at a conference 6 years ago. Since then he’s worked alongside Jeremy to assist in sharing the HALT messages on a national scale. Merv is now responsible in his own community of the Mornington Peninsula for delivering quarterly HALT blitz week events alongside Jeremy. He is honoured to be able to use his program delivery and social enterprise skills to assist HALT to grow its amazing impact further across Australia in the coming years.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Painter, photographer, designer and amateur lion tamer, Michael Wolfe has been painting pictures, taking photographs, designing books, magazines and corporate images, writing songs and making music for most of his adult life. Michael works as an artist, designer and conservation picture framer and runs Union Studio Picture Framers and Fine Art Printers in Castlemaine Victoria.
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