Farmer walks 142 miles to highlight mental health pressures

A Herefordshire farmer has begun a 142-mile walk to London to raise awareness of mental health pressures in farming, highlighting isolation and the need for stronger support in rural communities.

Sam Stables, co-founder of the We Are Farming Minds charity with his wife Emily, set off in the morning from Ross-on-Wye Market on Monday (9 February).

He is walking about 30 miles a day and is due to arrive at The Farmers Club in London on Friday (13 February).

See also: Prince William talks farmer mental health on Herefordshire visit

He is raising vital funds for the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs (NFYFC). 

The walk is being carried out in partnership with the Farm Safety Foundation, also known as Yellow Wellies, as part of its Mind Your Head week (9-13 February).

This focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention in the farming industry.

For most of the route, Mr Stables is walking alone to symbolise the rural isolation experienced by many farmers across the UK.

A Duchy tenant farmer who farms 80ha (200 acres) Kings Pitt Farm in Aconbury, Herefordshire, Mr Stables has spoken openly about his own mental health struggles.

He said his experience was a key motivation behind the challenge.

“From my own personal experience with mental health, and where I got to 14 years ago, when I didn’t want to be here,” he said.

“My wife and I set up We Are Farming Minds to try to break that stigma in the farming community.”

He added that the timing of the walk was significant.

“I felt that this week was really important as British agriculture is under so much pressure.

© Sam Stables

“I wanted to highlight the isolation that farmers feel, being on the road and a farmer being on his own and carrying all his worries on his back, as many do day in, day out.”

Mr Stables said he hopes the walk will raise awareness of the importance of the farming industry and the need to support those working within it.

Breaking the stigma

Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said Mind Your Head Week aims to address the wide range of challenges facing agriculture.

“Breaking down the stigma that exists – not just to poor mental health, but to suicide – and providing opportunities for people to educate themselves, so they can do their bit to prevent suicide and know that there is hope,” she said.

“When somebody gets to that point in their life that is a crisis, there is a way back.”