Charity launched to reduce rural stress, isolation and high suicide rates among farmers

Lincolnshire Rural and Agricultural Chaplaincy has been created to support people across the entire county

The four Agricultural Chaplains from Left to Right – Revd Lee Gabel, Revd Sue Hentley, Revd Al Jenkins and Rev. Canon Alan Robson
Author: Aaron RenfreePublished 1st Oct 2021

A new charity's been created to help reduce rural stress, isolation and high suicide rates among farmers.

Lincolnshire Rural and Agricultural Chaplaincy has been created to support people across the entire county.

Chairperson Meryl Ward said the launch comes at a critical time.

"We face the biggest change in rural policy for a generation.

"Chaplaincy is an essential service to rural life, providing pastoral care, independent voices to champion rural issues and being that catalyst for change.

"Canon Alan Robson has achieved so much already, and now is the time to extend his work."

Agricultural Chaplain Rev Canon Alan Robson explained how this charity differs from The Lincolnshire Rural Support Network which he founded in 1998

"This is a new development increasing ‘people centred’ capacity on top of the outstanding work of colleagues in LRSN.

"Chaplaincy is consistently creative and refreshing how we communicate faith, hope and love for all people in an ever changing agricultural and rural landscape.

"This is the right time to launch an additional group of passionate individuals who will meet the needs of vulnerable people whoever they are in the countryside.

"Yes, the focus is farming community but we will be raising the mental health and social care issues beyond our farming family.

"Intentional collaboration with a wide range of partners to link town and country as we all face the challenges of climate change upon our social community lives.

"The Chaplains will be well placed to aid others and LRSN in that holistic spiritual reflection."

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