FARMERS’ mental health is set for a boost thanks to a grant to a Stratford-based charity.
Maximus Foundation UK has awarded a grant of £2,500 to the Farm Safety Foundation to help fund mental health resources for the farming community.
The charity, based in Stratford, works across rural areas in the UK to support farmers and their families with their mental wellbeing and raise awareness of farm safety.
Farming accounts for one per cent of the UK’s working population but 16 per cent of all fatal injuries in the workplace, with 21 workers losing their lives in 2022/23.
In addition to deaths in the workplace, latest data shows that 36 suicides were also reported in England and Wales in the agricultural industry in 2021/22.
The Farm Safety Foundation will use the funding to print vital resources, including The Little Book of Minding Your Head and the Little Book of Farm Safety, distributing these free of charge to farmers with the aim of reducing these statistics.
The Little Book of Minding Your Head provides practical tips for farmers on how to look after their mental health.
It has already been printed over 25,000 times and is currently the only resource of its type in the country. The Little Book of Farm Safety aims to fulfil a similar role.
The donation forms part of the Foundation’s latest round of dedicated fundraising to help local charities nationwide. The grant was awarded via a virtual cheque presentation by a Maximus Foundation trustee. Maximus Foundation UK has awarded grant beneficiaries totalling £585,000 since 2015.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager at the Farm Safety Foundation, said: “We are a small charity with a big ambition and were established to preserve and protect the physical and mental wellbeing of the next generation of farmers. 2024 is a very special year for us as it marks ten years of progress in this area, and following the incredible demand for our Little Book of Minding Your Head, we have been working on a Little Book of Farm Safety to sit alongside this resource.
“This grant will help us ensure these valuable resources are available free of charge to anyone needing advice or guidance in these areas.”
