Our second action hero of the day is Ben Cavill, Chairman of Cornwall YFC who is using his influence to help create a culture in farming that promotes positive mental health and encourages people to open up and talk. Ben explains more… “I want to use my position as the Chairman of Cornwall’s largest rural
Today we celebrate local heroes, those rural support groups, organisations and individuals who are going the extra mile to help those in their communities. First up, the wonderful YANA based in Norfolk, Suffolk and Worcestershire. Melinda Raker, Patron of YANA explains why she firmly believes that YOU ARE NOT ALONE – we are in this
In today’s final blog, NFU Mutual’s Social Media Manager, Hannah Ratcliff, outlines some interesting insights from their recent Love Rural survey and whilst it’s essential to understand that rural isolation and loneliness can have a profound impact on those living in the countryside, it’s also important to recognise the importance of those key elements that
Do you work in farming? Drive tractors? Tend animals? If so, you probably spend more and more time alone. Modern machinery is full of automation such that you can spend hours alone in the tractor without seeing or hearing from anyone all day. Nor can you contact anyone, because there is no signal in the
Friendship is like food. We need it to survive. What’s more, we seem to have a basic drive for it. Psychologists find that human beings have fundamental need for inclusion in group life and for close relationships. We are truly social animals. And in farming this can present a problem Obviously, there are circumstances when
Since 2018, we have been raising awareness of a serious issue facing our farming community – poor mental health. The farming industry faces many stress factors, which are placing increasing pressure on our workers and putting them at greater risk of mental ill health. These include extended amounts of time working in isolation, a blurring
In today’s blog, renowned experts Nik and Eva Speakman give us an insight into post-traumatic stress disorder, (PTSD) something that has been traditionally associated with military personnel but can be commonplace in farming. The Speakmans have studied human behaviour together for over 20 years and run their own therapy business helping people overcome a range
Smiling depression: appearing happy on the outside while feeling depressed inside. This is a dangerous condition to have and why we need to pay attention. By Olivia Remes, Researcher at University of Cambridge Smiling depression is a difficult condition to deal with. It refers to looking happy on the outside while inside feeling depressed. Internet
Welcome to Mind Your Head 2020… one week in the year when we shine the spotlight on our wonderful agricultural industry and the key element that is often overlooked when media stories are grabbing headlines… the people behind it. In our first blog of the week, our Manager Stephanie Berkeley looks at how initiatives like
In her first blog for the site, our newest team member Sophie Marsh highlights some of the wonderful and creative work that people, companies and YFCs have been doing to raise money to allow us to continue the work we do preserving and protecting the physical and mental wellbeing of the next generation of farmers…