Stuart Anderson, South Shropshire’s Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate, has welcomed a major investment from the government to improve the mental wellbeing and resilience of farmers across the country, aiming to help rural communities like Shropshire. Stuart said he is delighted the Government has announced plans to make available up to £500,000 for projects to support mental health in the farming sector.
The £500,000 funding will be available to three charity partners to deliver projects that support mental health in the farming sector. Having suffered from poor mental health in the past, Stuart said that he understands the challenges farmers face and wants to do all that he can to champion their cause. He has welcomed the Government’s investment, which will build on the support already on offer through the Farming Resilience Fund.
The Fund provides free expert business advice delivered by third party organisations to farmers who may need help adapting to changes during the agricultural transition. One of the key required outcomes is that farmers’ mental health and wellbeing are supported. Already, the Government has provided free support to over 19,000 farmers, including workshops, one-to-one advice from experts, and farm visits.
Stuart said that he also wants to ensure that farmers are aware of who they can turn to if they are going through difficult times. In particular, the farming charities – the Farming Community Network, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and the Addington Fund – all do a brilliant job in supporting farmers and their families. The National Farmers Union also has a regional network of advisers who can provide support. The Government has also provided financial support to the Farming Community Network since 2010 as well as Communities in Rural England (ACRE), whose network of 38 rural community councils work on housing and transport issues that we know can particularly affect farming communities.
In addition, the Government has worked with the Yellow Wellies charity, who Stuart has recently supported in their 'Mind Your Head' awareness campaign, to provide advice and information on how to identify potential mental health issues in the sector and provide tools for better addressing them. The Farm Safety Foundation is the home of ‘Yellow Wellies’ and recently ran a campaign called ‘Mind Your Head’, seeking to raise awareness about the mental health risks associated with working in agriculture.
Stuart Anderson said: “Having suffered from poor mental health in the past, I want to ensure that farmers’ mental health is greatly supported. In recent years, there has quite rightly been a growing awareness of the importance of farmer’s mental health. I am glad that the Government recognises that there is even more that it can do to make sure the right help and support is provided to farmers when they need it. That’s why I welcome this £500,000 investment to deliver projects that support mental health in the farming sector. It underscores the Government’s very real commitment to supporting the wellbeing of farmers and builds on support already available via the Farming Resilience Fund, which has already helped more than 19,000 farmers to date.”
