Henpower

Henpower is an initiative that was set up by the charity Equal Arts with the aim of using hen-keeping to tackle social isolation, reduce depression and improve people’s wellbeing.

Commissioned by Equal Arts, the brief was to produce a series of light-hearted and quirky images to raise awareness of the project featuring some of the people who are benefitting from the scheme, the ‘Hensioners’, as they are known.

In the north-east of England, where Henpower is now well established, the volunteers or “hensioners” take hen road shows to schools, community events and to other care settings.

“It really has brought all the older men out of their bungalows and away from their TVs to socialise rather than staying inside and watching sport. Men aren’t naturally as social as women, and can be quite shy, but they have all been able to bond around the chickens and their care. It really has been fabulous.”