All this week, we have been exploring one of the most pressing and sensitive issues facing UK farming today: the growing risk of suicide and the vital work being done to prevent it.
We have heard powerful stories from those with lived experience, highlighted what we are doing to equip the next generation through education and showcased the farming charities and rural support groups who stand ready to help.
Today, on the final day of this year’s campaign, we hand the baton to you – quite literally.
We have been working in partnership with suicide‑prevention charity The Baton of Hope to create The Farming Pledge: a commitment to building safer, more supportive workplaces and farming communities. At its heart, the Farming Pledge asks each one of us living and working in farming to learn how to recognise the signs of struggle, have the confidence to start an honest conversation and ensure those who need it can access timely help before a difficult moment becomes a crisis.
Baton of Hope Co-founder Mike McCarthy picture with the Baton
The Baton of Hope’s existing Workplace Pledge has been adopted by organisations such as NHS South Yorkshire, Royal Mail, British Steel, Oxford United FC and Baxi – proof that change is possible when leaders take mental health seriously.
Building on this momentum and through our work as part of the National Suicide Prevention Network, today we are launching The Farming Pledge. And we are proud to share that NFU Mutual has already stepped forward as a Gold Pledger, demonstrating leadership at a time when our rural communities need it most. NFU Mutual are joined by Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke, a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs who has also stepped forward to sign the Pledge. She and her team will also undertake our new Suicide Awareness and Prevention eLearning, underscoring the growing recognition in Westminster of the urgent need to support those living and working in the farming sector.
The Farming Pledge is for everyone – from small family‑run farms to large farming businesses and the wider agricultural trades. There is a level to suit you so please step forward, pledge your support and commit to making our industry a safer place to live and work.
For many, knowing how to begin supporting mental health can feel daunting. That is precisely why The Farming Pledge exists as a simple, actionable starting point.
Those who sign up will receive clear guidance, practical resources, print materials and training that can be implemented immediately.
Above all, let this year’s Mind Your Head serve as a reminder: there is always hope, So please take The Farming Pledge. Share it with your team. Stand with us.
Suicide is preventable and together, we can save lives.
If you want to learn more about The Farming Pledge contact
Ben Wilson ben@thebatonofhope.org or CALL 07803 574720
