As another Farm Safety Week draws to a close, it is right that we finish by showing our gratitude to those individuals who are quietly working to make our farms safer places to live and to work.
Steady, practical and committed, our Farm Safety Heroes are setting standards through their everyday actions. They may not seek the spotlight, but their contribution is invaluable and it deserves to be acknowledged. Today, we take a moment to thank them and to remind ourselves that lasting change is often led not by grand gestures, but by the simple actions of those who choose, day after day, to do things safely and well.
Farm Safety Hero England – Erin Thompson
Erin Thompson – England Farm Safety Hero 2026 Photo credit Costas Andreou
Eleven-year-old Erin Thompson is our youngest Farm Safety Hero. She began creating farm‑safety stories at around seven years old, inspired by growing up on her family farm in Lamplugh, Cumbria.
Known locally by the affectionate nickname “the girl in the yellow wellies” Erin has worn her yellow wellington boots since she was a toddler. This shared nickname made Erin a natural and fitting collaborator for our new project for younger audiences.
Using Erin’s simple, engaging story and illustrations, this year we developed The Girl in the Yellow Wellies Stays Safe on The Farm – a story and activity book which made its debut at agricultural shows across the UK this summer. The book and its important safety messages makes it easier to start conversations with children and families about staying safe on farms, demonstrating how creative, practical collaboration can play an important role in building awareness and changing behaviours from an early age. This makes Erin a very fitting Farm Safety Hero for England.
Farm Safety Hero Northern Ireland – Dr Rebecca Orr
Dr Rebecca Orr – NI Farm Safety Hero 2026
Choosing Dr Rebecca Orr as Northern Ireland’s Farm Safety Hero was one of the easiest decisions we have made and one that was unanimously supported by the Northern Ireland Farm Safety Partnership. Rebecca brings a uniquely powerful voice shaped by her roots in farming, her experience with YFCU and her frontline role as a rural GP to champion the health and safety of the NI agricultural community.
As the driving force behind the NI Agri-Rural Health Forum, Rebecca has helped unite farming organisations, charities and health professionals around a shared commitment to improving outcomes for those living and working in rural areas, using a gentle yet infectiously energetic and collaborative approach that inspires trust and engagement.
Deeply embedded in the industry, Rebecca understands both the pressures and the culture of farming life and has consistently used that insight to advocate for practical, preventative action – linking physical safety, mental wellbeing and community resilience. Through her leadership and ability to bring people together, Rebecca has played a pivotal role in normalising conversations, helping to build a stronger, more connected and safety-conscious farming community across the Province.
Farm Safety Hero Scotland – Duncan Macalister
Duncan Macalister – Scotland Farm Safety Hero 2026
Scotland’s Farm Safety Hero 2026 is someone well known across the industry. Duncan Macalister, Vice President of NFU Scotland farms a 2000-acre mixed LFA livestock coastal farm in Glenbarr on the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula.
Through his role with NFU Scotland, Duncan has been championing the importance of farm safety, ensuring it remains firmly on the agenda at both industry and policy level. He has used his platform to amplify key messages around risk awareness, quag bike safety and mental wellbeing – helping to drive a culture shift in an industry where change can be difficult but is critically needed.
This blend of hands-on understanding and strategic leadership means Duncan is supporting efforts to improve the resilience and wellbeing of farming and crofting communities in Scotland, including keeping safety firmly on the agenda. Known for his warmth, ability to bring people together and get things moving, Duncan is bringing a new energy to the farm safety agenda. He recognises that progress comes from collaboration, shared responsibility and keeping people at the heart of every conversation about the future of farming and his dedication, influence and authenticity make him a truly deserving recipient of this year’s Farm Safety Hero Scotland Award.
Farm Safety Hero Wales – Wales YFC
Wales YFC – Wales Farm Safety Heroes 2026
This year in Wales, we are not recognising just one Farm Safety Hero – we are recognising over 5,000 of them, in the form of Wales YFC as they celebrate an incredible 90th anniversary in 2026.
Generations of members have played their part in supporting rural communities and today’s young farmers continue that legacy with energy, creativity and a strong commitment to looking after one another. That spirit was clear at this year’s NFYFC National Entertainment Feast Final, held for the first time on Welsh soil at Theatre Hafren, where Erwood YFC and Dyffryn Tanat YFC delivered powerful, thoughtful performances centred on mental health, securing first and second place.
Alongside this, Wales YFC has built a strong and growing track record in farm safety education – from running their own competitions to delivering training such as the Yellow Wellies Farm Safe Curve module and working with Wales FSP on an interactive table-top farm safety escape room game while consistently reinforcing key messages like quad bike safety. Their work also recognises the importance of wellbeing, with a dedicated Mental Health Champion Award at their annual Agri Awards.
This year has seen even more innovation, with the launch of a new competition in partnership with Achub Bywyd Cymru / Save a Life Wales, encouraging clubs to learn and share CPR skills for the chance to win a defibrillator. The competition features Wales YFC members themselves as instructors. Their 90th celebrations, marked by a special dinner ahead of the Royal Welsh Show and at the start of Farm Safety Week, feels particularly fitting.
Together, their collective effort reflects what the future of farm safety is really about – a generation of farmers listening to each other, peer support, shared learning and a culture where everyone looks out for one another.
