Farm Safety Week recognises four safety champions
© Tim Scrivener Four farm safety champions from across the UK have been recognised for their efforts to improve safety in agriculture as this year’s Farm Safety Week draws to a close.
The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) announced its 2026 Farm Safety Heroes on the final day of the annual campaign (20-24 July), recognising individuals and organisations that have worked to promote safer working practices and improve wellbeing in farming communities.
The awards come as new figures released at the start of Farm Safety Week highlighted agriculture’s stubbornly poor safety record.
See also: Farm Safety Week targets hidden toll of serious injuries
During 2025-26, 22 farmworkers lost their lives in Great Britain, with half of those killed aged 65 or over. Children accounted for 10% of fatalities.
Health and Safety Executive figures also show people working in agriculture, forestry and fishing remain about seven times more likely to be killed at work than those in construction and 21 times more likely than the all-industry average.
Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said the awards celebrate those helping to change attitudes and create a stronger culture of safety across UK farming.
England
Erin Thompson, from Lamplugh, Cumbria, has been named England’s Farm Safety Hero 2026 in recognition of her work encouraging children to think about staying safe on farms.
Growing up on her family’s farm, Erin began creating stories about farm safety when she was just seven years old. Now aged 11, she uses illustrations and storytelling to help younger children understand the dangers that can exist on working farms.
Erin Thompson © Costas Andreou
To coincide with the award, the Farm Safety Foundation has launched a new children’s activity book, The Girl in the Yellow Wellies Stays Safe on the Farm, developed in collaboration with Erin.
The book combines Erin’s illustrations with interactive activities created by Yellow Wellies to encourage conversations about farm safety between children and their families.
Ms Berkeley said: “This book is about empowering children, not only to understand how to stay safe themselves, but to use their voices to influence those around them. That’s incredibly powerful.”
She added that Erin’s enthusiasm and creativity made her “a wonderful ambassador” and said the charity hoped the project would spread messages that “could genuinely save a life”.
Erin said she hoped the book would encourage other young people growing up around farms to appreciate that they are workplaces rather than playgrounds.
“I hope the book encourages anyone who loves the farm as much as I do to be careful – it is a place of work and not a playground.”
Copies of the book will be available from the Yellow Wellies team at agricultural shows throughout the summer or by contacting the team via email at farm_safety_foundation@nfumutual.co.uk.
Scotland
NFU Scotland vice-president Duncan Macalister has been named Scotland’s Farm Safety Hero for his work championing safety within the industry.
Mr Macalister farms a 800ha mixed livestock holding in the less-favoured area of Glenbarr on the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula.
Alongside running the family farm, he has used his leadership role within NFU Scotland to keep farm safety high on the industry’s agenda, promoting greater awareness of risks, including quad bike safety, while also encouraging conversations around mental wellbeing.
Duncan Macalister © NFU Scotland
The Farm Safety Foundation said his combination of practical farming experience and industry leadership had helped strengthen efforts to improve the resilience and wellbeing of Scotland’s farming and crofting communities, including keeping safety firmly on the agenda.
Ms Berkeley said promoting farm safety had been one of Mr Macalister’s priorities from the moment he became NFU Scotland vice-president.
“In fact, we were one of his first calls. That speaks volumes about how deeply he cares about this issue.”
The foundation said his belief in collaboration, shared responsibility and supporting farming communities made him a worthy recipient of the award.
Wales
Rather than recognising a single person, this year’s Welsh Farm Safety Hero award has been presented collectively to the more than 5,000 members of Wales YFC as the organisation celebrates its 90th anniversary.
The foundation said generations of young farmers had helped strengthen rural communities, with today’s members continuing that tradition through education, peer support and practical farm safety initiatives.
One example came at this year’s National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs entertainment final, held for the first time in Wales at Theatre Hafren, where Erwood YFC and Dyffryn Tanat YFC staged performances focused on mental health, finishing first and second, respectively.
Alongside promoting wellbeing, Wales YFC has expanded its work on practical farm safety through competitions, training and partnerships.
Initiatives include delivering the Yellow Wellies Farm Safe Curve module, working with the Wales Farm Safety Partnership on an interactive farm safety escape room and reinforcing messages around hazards such as quad bike safety.
This year it launched a new competition with Achub Bywyd Cymru/Save a Life Wales, encouraging clubs to learn and teach CPR skills for the chance to win a defibrillator, with Wales YFC members themselves acting as instructors.
Ms Berkeley said the collective efforts of Wales YFC “reflect what the future of farm safety is really about – a generation of farmers listening to each other, peer support, shared learning and a culture where everyone looks out for one another”.
Northern Ireland
Dr Rebecca Orr has been named Northern Ireland’s Farm Safety Hero 2026 for her work bringing together farming organisations, charities and healthcare professionals to improve the health and wellbeing of rural communities.
As the driving force behind the Northern Ireland Agri-Rural Health Forum, Dr Orr has helped develop a collaborative approach linking physical safety, mental health and community resilience.
Dr Rebecca Orr © Farm-Safety Foundation
The Farm Safety Foundation said her farming background, involvement with the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster and experience as a rural GP had given her a unique understanding of the pressures facing farming families.
Through her leadership, she has encouraged more open conversations around health and safety while helping organisations work together on preventative initiatives.
Ms Berkeley said selecting Dr Orr had been an easy decision, backed unanimously by the Northern Ireland Farm Safety Partnership.
“Rebecca brings a uniquely powerful voice shaped by her roots in farming, her experience with YFCU and her frontline role as a rural GP to champion the health and safety of the NI agricultural community.”
