Every Wednesday, rain hail or shine, a group of men meet at the beach at sunrise for a workout, a chat, and the opportunity to form connections that are vital for mental health.
When No One’s Watching (WNOW) is the free health initiative for men that’s sweeping Australia and has now come to the Northern Beaches. Since the Maroubra chapter was founded by ex-Sydney Swans player Tadhg Kennelly and his friend David Eccles in 2020, WNOW has now expanded out to 37 chapters and has crossed state and international borders.
The initiative was founded in response to a huge gap that Tadhg and David saw in the men’s health sphere and a desire to “help men drop the body armour, be their unique selves and challenge toxic masculinity.”
The concept behind the WNOW sunrise clubs is simple, men are invited to come and do a simple workout as a group at 6am. They can then stay for a coffee and a chat in a “safe, non-judgmental environment where everyone is welcome.”
As founder, Tadhg Kennelly, describes it, “You may not like the man that gets out of the car, but you will love the man that gets back into the car.”
The Freshwater and Warriewood When No One’s Watching chapters are the newest to open and have already been hailed as a great success. John Whealans or “Whealo” is the man behind the magic at Freshwater and cannot praise the program, and its participants enough.
When asked how they first got involved in the project, John says, “I’ve known Dave Eccles (WNOW Co-Founder) for about 15 years and was hearing all about the first chapter him and Tadhg Kennelly set up in Maroubra. Men’s health is something I am passionate about so this project was perfect.”
The Freshwater chapter has around 15-20 regular attendees, but John says there’s always room for more.
“We’re just regular guys getting out there and having a go. The connection to the group happens naturally through the rhythm of the routine and the other men there putting themselves out there with the mutual experience,” says John, “It’s like a big group of new mates to help you on the tough days and celebrate with you on the great ones.”
Over in Warriewood, founders Paul Stevenson and Gareth Williams say their chapter is all about a good quality workout, tailored to your level with good mates and great connection.
“If you fancy pushing it a bit, bring a kettlebell or two, no worries if not, we got you,” says Paul. “The group has grown to be awesome crew of fellas looking for a workout, connection and coffee whilst enjoying the best sunrise in Sydney (yeah, you heard us Bondi).”
Both John and Paul say the local community has been incredibly supportive of the initiative with lots of people stopping to ask for more information and offer encouragement. They also both extend a big thank you to the local cafés (including the aptly named Sunrise cafe at Warriewood) who make all their coffees each week.
The benefits of When No One’s Watching speak from themselves, with John passing on the following statistics, “In a recent survey of our members, 99% of respondents said WNOW had a positive impact on their life and 94% feel their mental health and wellbeing has improved since joining WNOW. 71% say we help them feel connected, 52% say it has improved their mental health and daily happiness and 98% have stronger sense of community belonging.”
If you’re interested in joining the group, John says it’s a decision you will not regret.
“It’s our favourite day of the week,” says John, “This group is one of the most welcoming, non-judgmental environments I’ve experienced. There’s a wide range of fitness levels, ages, life stages, professions, and interests, but we all turn up and it’s about connecting over the ritual of some light exercise, group sharing of what’s going on in your life and then a coffee – all before most people are out of bed!”
“We’re a very welcoming and diverse group of men from a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. The exercises are designed to go at your own pace, so it suits people of all fitness levels,” says John.
“Take that first step, we’d love to see you on the beach.”
When No One’s Watching Sunrise Club
When: Every Wednesday at 6am
Where: Freshwater and Warriewood beach
https://www.wnow.com.au/sunriseclub
