National Lottery recognises farmers’ mental health charity

A farming couple who set up a mental health support charity after coming close to tragedy in their own lives have been named as recipients of a national award.

Sam and Emily Stables established the We are Farming Minds charity at their home, Kings Pitts Farm in Kingsthorne near Hereford, with £150,000 of grant funding from the National Lottery.

See also: How farmers can deal with mental health at times of pressure

They are now being recognised by the National Lottery as winners of the Community category in its 2022 awards, after being selected from 1,300 nominations.

The couple established the charity in September 2020 in the period after Mr Stables had reached a “crisis point’’ and attempted suicide.

Although he had dreamed of being a farmer, he had struggled with the isolation that came with the job.

He is not alone – poor mental health is reportedly 46% higher in farming than in other occupations.

The father of two had prepared to take his own life, but a neighbour to his 81ha Duchy of Cornwall estate farm found him just in time.

“I reached a crisis point and I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. But after a, thankfully, failed attempt to end my life, I saw the light,” he said.

“With the support of my wife, we decided to create a charity that offered farmers like me a judgement-free space. It’s what farmers do – we all stick together, no matter what.”

Awareness

We are Farming Minds aims to break down the stigma surrounding isolation, loneliness and mental health in the farming community, helping to raise awareness of the issues in rural Herefordshire, but also supporting the wellbeing of farmers across the country.

Two National Lottery grants worth nearly £150,000 had provided a dedicated 24-hour helpline, a service staffed by Mr and Mrs Stables and a team of specially trained volunteers.

The charity employs a project manager, funds counselling and gives mental health awareness training to the wider agricultural community, including vets and feed reps.

They are taught how to spot the signs of mental illness when visiting farmers and how to offer support.

The charity has already trained about 200 people and hopes to reach more than 500 farmers through its support networks.

Presentation

Mr and Mrs Stables were presented with their award – a £5,000 cash prize and a National Lottery Awards trophy – by BBC Countryfile presenter John Craven at Kings Pitts Farm on Thursday (20 October).

The National Lottery Awards are billed as an annual celebration of the inspirational individuals and groups who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.

Mrs Stables, who spoke of the couple’s delight in winning the award, said: “Our mission is to reach out to as many people as possible in the farming community to break down stigma, open up support and say to every farmer ‘It’s OK not to be OK’.”