The Farming Minister Mark Spencer has at this time (6 July 2023) pushed a tractor round Parliament Square into the Houses of Parliament to assist elevate consciousness of psychological well being in farming and rural communities.

The journey round Westminster marks only one section of the Len’s Light Tractor Relay – which is masking over 2,000 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End – to shine a highlight on how psychological well being can have an effect on these in rural communities and assist break down stigma surrounding psychological well being within the farming sector.

Len’s Light was launched in June this 12 months by Lynda and Andy Eadon in reminiscence of their son Len Eadon who took his personal life in January 2022, and is working with the Farming Community Network, Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) and Papyrus to boost consciousness and funds to help farmers’ psychological well being.

The relay comes because the Farm Safety Foundation not too long ago surveyed 450 UK farmers beneath the age of 40 and located that 94% of them agreed poor psychological well being is likely one of the greatest hidden issues going through the trade at this time – up from 84% three years in the past.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer stated:

It’s vastly essential that we elevate consciousness of the psychological well being impacts in farming and rural communities and I’d prefer to pay tribute to all these charities and people, together with Lynda and Andy, who’re working tirelessly to carry this to mild.

I’m honoured to have performed even only a small half on this aim by getting behind the wheel at this time, and can proceed to do all I can to make sure farmers can entry the help they want, together with by way of our Future Farming Resilience Fund and ongoing work with charities similar to Yellow Wellies.

Andy and Lynda Eadon, Founders of Len’s Light, stated:

Len’s Light is a nationwide journey reaching out to everybody within the rural neighborhood with the message that nobody within the rural neighborhood ought to really feel remoted and alone.

Len’s Light Tractor Relay wouldn’t have began if we had not reached out for help from Sir Jeremy Wright MP, Mark Spencer MP, Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation, and the NFU workforce – particularly Minette Batters and George Bostock.

With the assistance of everybody, we’ll proceed to speak about optimistic psychological well being within the rural neighborhood which hinges round speaking, listening and honesty.

Today’s relay builds on different essential work to scale back stigma round psychological well being in farming. Earlier this 12 months, for instance, Sam and Emily Stables obtained Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Points of Light award for his or her work establishing ‘We Are Farming Minds’, a charity that gives a befriending service and devoted 24-hour helpline staffed by skilled volunteers, and supplies funding for farmers to entry skilled counselling providers.

The authorities is investing at the least £2.3 billion of extra funding a 12 months by March 2024 to increase and remodel psychological well being providers in England in order that two million extra folks will be capable to get the psychological well being help they want.

Farmers’ psychological well being and wellbeing are additionally being prioritised and supported within the authorities’s Future Farming Resilience Fund, which supplies free enterprise help to farmers and land managers in England. This contains help from in-house specialists or signposting to exterior knowledgeable providers, and the federal government has labored with the Farm Safety Foundation to supply recommendation and knowledge on the best way to establish potential psychological well being points and supply instruments for addressing them.

The Len’s Light Tractor Relay started at John O’Groats on 20 June, with a specifically designed beacon on the entrance of the tractor lighting up the route. The relay has stopped at livestock markets and equipment depots across the UK to spark conversations round psychological well being with farmers and others residing in rural communities, in addition to elevating consciousness at massive agricultural occasions together with the Royal Highland Show. The closing leg of the relay will happen at Land’s End on 23 July.

NFU President, Minette Batters, stated:

As an trade we’ve acquired to make better strides to speak brazenly about our psychological well being and wellbeing. We’re encouraging the farming neighborhood to start out a dialog with a neighbour, pal or member of the family. It actually might make an enormous distinction.

I applaud the bravery of Andy and Lynda Eadon who’ve labored so tirelessly to shine a light-weight on reaching optimistic psychological well being in farming and rural communities. Having misplaced their very own son, they’re each doing all they’ll to make sure nobody within the countryside feels remoted or alone. The Len’s Light tractor relay is a rare and emotional journey by a pair who’re decided to make a distinction to psychological well being and wellbeing. On behalf of the NFU we want all of them the perfect on their onward journey.

Stephanie Berkeley, Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, stated:

There are 1000’s of farmers fighting long run sick well being within the trade and lots of extra with psychological well being circumstances. These persons are working day by day regardless to make sure we’ve got meals on our plates.

Initiatives like this by Lynda and Andy – beneath probably the most tragic of circumstances – actually do make a distinction.  We are so grateful to them and admire them for the laborious work and pure dedication that making this journey by way of the nation will assist elevate consciousness and stop one other farming household going by way of the worst of tragedies.

Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of the nationwide charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, stated:

We wish to say an enormous thanks to Andy and Lynda Eadon and all those that are supporting their exceptional Len’s Light marketing campaign.

Their occasion is elevating priceless consciousness of suicide prevention which in flip will assist us to proceed giving hope to younger people who find themselves fighting life.

Fundraising and beneficiant donations assist to pay for doubtlessly life-saving calls, texts and emails to our confidential HOPELINE247 service, which presents help and recommendation to younger folks and anybody who’s frightened about a teenager who could also be having ideas of suicide.

Andy and Lynda and the Len’s Light marketing campaign are carrying a significant message of help that’s resonating with farmers and other people residing in rural communities throughout the UK. None of us ought to really feel alone – we’re a part of a supportive neighborhood that’s right here to pay attention, help and assist.

No matter what pressures you might be going through, FCN and different farm help charities are right here to assist folks discover a optimistic method ahead. FCN volunteers perceive farming life and its distinctive stresses, and could be contacted in confidence three hundred and sixty five days of the 12 months on 03000 111 999 or help@fcn.org.uk.