MIND YOUR HEAD HERO SCOTLAND – Jim Hume MBA ARAgS Hon Assoc BVA
Scotland’s Mind Your Head Hero 2026 is a figure whose steady influence has helped redefine how rural mental health is understood, discussed and supported across the country.
Jim Hume MBA ARAgS Hon Assoc BVA
Jim Hume’s deep agricultural roots – from his early farming experience to his leadership with NFU Scotland and his coordination of community support during the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis, have long shaped his understanding of the pressures borne by those who work the land. It is that grounding that has informed a career dedicated to giving rural communities not only a voice, but a seat at the table.
As Director of Public Affairs and Communications at Change Mental Health, Jim founded and continues to convene the National Rural Mental Health Forum: a coalition that now connects more than 200 organisations across Scotland. Under his stewardship, it has become a powerful vehicle for reducing stigma, widening access to support and ensuring that the lived realities of farmers and crofters are represented at the highest levels of policymaking. His leadership has been instrumental in bringing rural wellbeing into the national conversation including through the first mental health summit ever hosted in the Scottish Parliament.
Jim’s contributions extend beyond Scotland… In 2017, an initial gathering of rural support groups, convened under Past Master Philip Wynn of the Worshipful Company of Farmers, gradually evolved into what is now the WCF Health and Wellbeing Forum. Since 2019, Jim has served as its Chair, guiding a programme that has brought exceptional speakers, invaluable insights and a forward-thinking approach to wellbeing for rural professionals and farming families alike.
The forum’s work – practical, preventative and relevant reflects his belief that the first step towards protecting mental health is awareness and the second is knowing that help is both available and accessible.
According to Carol McLaren, Chief Executive of RSABI: “Jim’s long-standing connection to farming life, having grown up and worked on a Borders hill farm, gives him an authenticity that resonates strongly with rural families. This lived experience allows him to speak with genuine understanding about the challenges faced by those working the land — long hours, financial pressures, remoteness and the emotional burdens that agriculture can bring. He has championed rural mental health – always showing compassion, persistence and collaboration.”
His impact has not gone unnoticed. In January 2022, at the Master’s Banquet, HRH The Duchess of Wessex (now the Duchess of Edinburgh) presented Jim with the Master’s Award in recognition of his remarkable contribution to health and wellbeing across the UK.
Alix Ritchie, Director of Farmstrong Scotland said:
“Jim has been a tremendous supporter of Farmstrong’s mission to strengthen wellbeing in the Scottish agricultural community. His deep rural connections and unwavering commitment to collaborative working have amplified the charity’s impact and helped ensure that the voices of farmers and crofters are heard where it matters most.”
Today, as Scotland’s Mind Your Head Hero, Jim Hume is celebrated not only for what he has built, but for the enduring legacy he continues to forge. His work has touched countless individuals and families – often quietly but always compassionately. It is a legacy of connection, collaboration and profound positive change and one that the rural communities of Scotland and beyond will feel for years to come.
