In a bid to bring rural women together and tackle the issues working in the countryside can bring, Rachael Middleton started a new group to provide ladies in the rural community with the support they need. Emily Ashworth finds out more.
Last year, agricultural charity the Farming Community Network found that loneliness is a key factor in developing depression and anxiety.
For those in the rural community, sometimes miles from anywhere, isolation can come hand in hand with the job.
Throw the last few years in the mix and it is easy to see why someone could be pushed to their limits.
So in order to support more women in rural areas, Racheal Middleton decided to establish a group; a safe space where women could be around others in similar situations.
Rachael, who hails from a farming background, was helping to run her farm in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, while her husband, Stephen, worked away, but with a young child she decided she wanted to step away and find an outlet for herself.
Before the pandemic and after I stopped running the farm, I was looking for something for myself.
I have a personal interest in wellbeing, and I had seen an advert for neuro-linguistic programming a way to train your mind to view things in a different way; reprogramming your thoughts, says Rachael.
I did some home studying and, during the pandemic, I set up a life coaching business.
You cannot help people unless they want help, but I had seen so many posts on social media from women in farming talking about loneliness, or how they felt trapped and misunderstood. They were all cries for help and I wanted to help. There are a lot of women out there who need and want friendship, so last March I posted on Facebook about starting up a group a cross between the Womens Institute and Young Farmers.
I had over 400 women respond and leave their details.
And so the Womens Ag Group or WAgG began in October 2022. Since then, eight groups have been established right across the country.
Rachael is adamant that people in the rural community face a unique set of challenges. She herself is from a farming family who eventually gave up the farm believing it was not big enough to sustain future family needs.
The commitment to farm life can be all-consuming she reminisces that even when she met Stephen, their very first dates were inevitably, she says, on the farm.
He was a sheep farmer and it was lambing time. I discovered that if I wanted to get to know him I would have to go and work with him, she says.
I have nothing against the Womens Institute, but I know that unless you are in agriculture or have a connection to it you lack an understanding of how life really is in the industry.
To try and communicate that and gain empathy from someone outside the industry is really difficult.
In my third meeting, which had a bigger response, everybody was sat there with what I call nodding dog syndrome. We were all nodding our heads as we understood each others issues.
I have felt that isolation before trying to organise things with non-farming friends is hard because I cannot just drop the farm work, and more often than not something is trying to escape or die. There is always something to do.
The largest group is in Aberdeen, Scotland, with 30 members, and although the focus is to provide social opportunities, the members are the driving force. There is, says Rachael, a strong desire from the members wanting to learn new skills.
She says: One of the things that came out was that there are ladies out there who want to learn farming-related skillssuch as shearing, but they know they are probably going to be the only woman on the course if they book on to one.
The pandemic shrank a lot of peoples comfort zones leaving the farm almost became a challenge.
And the thought of going somewhere and there not being a familiar face can be even more challenging. We want to create a friendly and safe environment, and aim to set up training courses due to this demand.
Interest is growing, and with mental health only becoming a bigger part of our conversation, Rachael is keen to promote the idea that having off days is part and parcel of everyday life, but that sometimes it does not take drastic action to help, just a simple cup of tea and a chat.
She says: I really do feel like women are part of the backbone of the industry. Who would feed everyone? Who would do all the paperwork? We are the spare pair of hands and look after the family.
If our mental health is not strong, we cannot support the rest of the family.
To have that monthly outlet gives women a space to let off some steam.
You feel that bit lighter for talking about things. And the groups will do what the members need.
Sometimes you may not even realise you are lonely until you attend one of these events and find out how much better you feel.
BOX: Fee Davidson Aberdeenshire group organiser.
"I have been very fortunate throughout my career that I have never felt like being a female has held me back, but I have felt at times that my social life has been affected by farm life whether that is not being able to commit to a fitness class or attend a play date on a Saturday morning. I would love to create something for ladies in the farming community so they can socialise with other women facing the challenges that come hand in hand with farm life. No matter what you do, where you are from or where you are going, it is great both physically and mentally to spend a few hours with the girls. Providing a community where we can achieve this is so rewarding."
Kirsty Leigh North Lincs group organiser.
"I would love to welcome you to WAgG to have a bit of fun, make new friends and most importantly build a network of ladies that understand the stresses and strains of the agricultural world. We can lift each other up.
STAR OUT: March 8 was International Womens Day, so head over to www.FGInsight.com to see our dedicated content celebrating women in farming
