As Mental Health Awareness Week draws to a close the Society is delighted to highlight its support for its chosen charity this year, the Farm Safety Foundation, better known as Yellow Wellies.
Now in its 10th year, The Farm Safety Foundation encourages those in the farming community to think more carefully about both physical and mental health as well as how they undertake tasks on the daily basis.
Society chief executive John Yates said the charity does important work, to help everyone in the farming community tackle the challenges they face on a daily basis, with a strong focus on educating the younger generation. “This has never been more important than after the challenging winter and spring the industry has just come through.
“The impacts of disease outbreaks, such as schmallenberg, coupled with increased costs and higher losses due to bad weather, delayed plantings and lost crops, have all taken their toll on farmers and those allied to the industry across the UK.
“Both the Texel Sheep Society and Farm Safety Foundation have a major focus on people. While sheep may be the focus of the Society’s members it is the people which make the Society what it is.
“Members coming together for shows, sales and social occasions provides the platform for all other activity, such as breed development and youth initiatives, the Society is a membership organisation with clear charitable purposes. This year, more than ever, members coming together at various events to share in each others successes and support each other through the harder times, will be exceptionally important,” explains Mr Yates.
In a similar vein the Farm Safety Foundation is firmly focussed on the people within farming, preparing the next generation of farmers to be responsible, confident and safe farmers of the future with a clear ambition; to find a way to stop farmers having life-changing accidents and dying at work.
Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley said the organisation was pleased to be able to work with the Texel Sheep Society in its 50th year, with 2024 also marking the 10th year of the Foundation.
“It’s wonderful to be working with the Society this year and help raise awareness of the need for farmers to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally.”
For anyone finding the challenges of farming overwhelming at the current time there is a range of support available from various organisations as listed below, with Yellow Wellies also having a useful online resource available here.
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute – https://rabi.org.uk/
Farm Community Network – https://fcn.org.uk/
Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institute – https://www.rsabi.org.uk/
DPJ Foundation – https://www.thedpjfoundation.co.uk/
Rural Support NI – https://www.ruralsupport.org.uk/
Tir Dewi – https://tirdewi.wales/