Wiggy's World - September 2026

Timelines, pressure and why we keep turning up.

If there's one thing I ve learnt over the years, it s that life doesn t always stick to the timeline you've carefully planned.

As fencing contractors, you will know that better than most. We can have the job booked, the gear ready, and the team organised, only for the weather to turn, the materials to be delayed or something completely out of our control to throw the whole plan sideways.

You don't throw your hands in the air and walk away. You adjust, work through it and keep moving forward.

That's exactly where Lean on a Gate has found itself over the past few months.

Many of you will know we ve been working hard to secure long-term funding so we can take our Community Awareness Training and rural wellbeing programmes to more workplaces and communities around New Zealand. We've had milestones to reach, partnerships to secure, and some pretty tight timelines to work to.

The reality is that many businesses are feeling the same pressure we are. Rising costs, economic uncertainty and people waiting to see what the future holds have meant some organisations have simply hit the pause button. That's not because they don't believe in what we re doing. In fact, many have told us they want to come back to the table when the timing is right. Throw Donald Trump and an upcoming election in the mix, and we definitely see people feeling unsure of what s around the corner.

If I'm honest, there have been moments when it's been frustrating; however, the times of uncertainty are when people need the most support.

But then I remind myself of something I've seen time and time again in rural New Zealand.

We're a resilient bunch

We don't stop because things get hard. We find another way.

That's also the message behind Lean on a Gate. Mental wellbeing isn't about waiting until someone is in crisis. It's about having the confidence to ask, "How are you really going?" before things become too heavy to carry alone.

Sometimes the most important thing you can do is stop for five minutes at the gate and have a conversation.

I've been incredibly fortunate over the last five years to have the support of the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand. FCANZ backed Lean on a Gate when we were just getting started. They believed in the idea that looking after people is every bit as important as looking after the job.

That's something I'll never forget.

So it's pretty special that we gave something back by delivering our Community Awareness Training at the FCANZ Conference. For me, that's not just another presentation. It was an opportunity to thank an industry that has stood beside both Lean on a Gate and me personally from the beginning.

It was a chance to give our members practical tools to recognise when a mate might be struggling, to start conversations with confidence, and to help create workplaces where asking for help is seen as a strength, not a weakness. From their initial training, I am sure some will want to take the next steps into further training or reach out for help for themselves or someone they know.

People often ask me whether the recent funding challenges worry me.

The answer is simple

No good project is built in a straight line, there are always challenges.

If building Lean on a Gate has taught me anything, it's that success isn't measured by whether every milestone happens on the exact day you planned. Success is continuing to believe in the reason you started, even when the road gets a little rough.

Every conversation we've had, every training session we ve delivered and every person who's walked away knowing they're not alone tells me we're heading in the right direction.

My own saying has always been, "Don't try to lead by example. Let your example lead others to their own success."

That's exactly what Lean on a Gate is about.

If we can keep showing up for each other, keep checking in, and keep reminding people that no one has to carry life's pressures on their own, then we're building something, a network of support.

We're building stronger people, stronger workplaces and stronger rural communities.

And just like a good fence, that starts with one strainer; one conversation and one person can make a difference. I know this industry is making a difference in many ways, but now an approach to a real workplace resilience mental health training programme will add many layers of strength and support for clients, colleagues, community, friends and family.

Just like the wire connects all parts of the fence and acts as a barrier to keep the unwanted out and the wanted in, our programme will connect your people with the good FCANZ has supported in our charity.

Published in WIRED issue 82/September 2026 by Fencing Contractors Association NZ

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