Mental Health

Harper Adams University student and NFU Ambassador Zoe Legg reflects on what she learned about battling poor mental health and coming back from the brink of death.

Two new support services tailored for the farming community have been launched by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) in light of ’worrying’ low levels of mental well-being. 

A farmer has received almost £140,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund for his charity aiming to break the stigma surrounding isolation, loneliness and poor mental wellbeing prevalent within rural communities.

A new children’s book developed by The Farming Community Network (FCN) and author Pauline McLeod will help young children understand the stress uncertainty can cause families and develop resilience skills.

Farmers and their communities have been encouraged to recognise the people in their lives that help support them during good and difficult times as part of a new campaign by The Farming Community Network (FCN). 

Farm work pressures in a progressively more isolated role is increasing loneliness in the farming community as farmers struggle to socialise and share their problems.

In October I stood in a room full of 800 farmers and rural businesses at Farmers Guardian’s British Farming Awards and watched Sheena Horner step onto the stage and accept the Farming Hero honour.

A major new survey of the agricultural community carried out by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) has revealed that more than one-third (36 per cent) of farmers are probably or possibly depressed.

Farmers have been encouraged to reach out to their communities and #sharetheload this World Suicide Prevention Day.