Local farming charity say farming often forgotten in mental health conversation
Co-founder of The Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation Kate Scott says attitudes in the industry are changing.
A charity providing support for farmers in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire say they're often forgotten in the discussion around mental health.
The Rural Communities Mental Health (RCMH) Foundation was founded on this day last year, World Suicide Awareness Day and Back British Farmers Day, by Kate Scott and Lewis Hunter to create a positive legacy in memory of their brothers, farmers and friends Robert Chapman, from Northamptonshire, and Max Hunter, from Cambridgeshire.
Tragically, Robert and Max lost their lives to suicide in 2014 and 2019 at just 29 and 28.
They were both struggling with their mental health, something Kate says is common in rural and agricultural communities but not spoken about often enough, especially amongst men:
"There's a huge stigma around it mental health in agriculture and I believe it's a generational thing where it's a very much a male dominated industry and we know that males in all walks of life are renowned to not want to talk about their emotions and their feelings and their struggles.
"And then on top of on top of that, you've got the issues around farming and and the isolation the difficulties that they face day in, day out."
Kate says with climate change issues like the weather will continue to be an issue for farmers, as well as current changes to inheritance tax, and globalised pricing.
She says people need to be aware of the strain on farmers:
"We're asset rich, cash poor. We don't have the cash behind and a lot of the machinery is like through hire purchase. But what people need to realise and understand is yes, you see these big tractors and they cost so much money in these combines, but that is our effectively our office."
"You've got the issues around farming and and the isolation the difficulties that they face day in, day out."
According to the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for every one person that dies by suicide, around 135 people are affected.
Kate backs recent calls for better mental health training within agricultural colleges. She wants anyone struggling mentally to know there is help available:
"That there is help and hope out there. We as The Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation offer training around suicide prevention and also the tools of how to talk about it amongst your peers.
"Whether that be with your friends or whether that be work to to just normalise it mental health dicussion A lot of people think that if you ask your friend or a colleague, are you having suicidal thoughts that that's going to make them suicidal? That that is not true.
They're hosting and event to mark their first year this Sunday at Tilbrook Grange.
Kate says that they are there to signpost to other organisations and to build relationships within our communities, and with young farmers and local agricultural colleges.
If you are struggling please ring the Samaritans on 116 123 or text Shout on 85285. You can also reach out to hubofhope.co.uk.