Charity cycle raises thousands for mental health campaign
Ben Goulding, Charlotte Scott, Will Hooper and Patrick Rich © Ben Goulding Four members of Somerset Young Farmers’ Club (YFC) have completed a grueling 100-mile cycle through the county and raised more than £2,000 for a project to improve mental health in farming.
Somerset county chairman Ben Goulding, Will Hooper from Polden Hills YFC, Charlotte Scott from Bridgwater YFC and Patrick Rich from Farrington Gurney YFC completed the cycle in eight hours on Saturday (4 September).
The group has so far raised £2,221 out of a target total of £3,000, which will be used to produce a mental health awareness video, to highlight the problems young people are facing and how they can get help.
See also: Somerset young farmers take on 100-mile cycle for charity
The fundraiser was inspired by the tragic death of a Bridgwater YFC member who took her own life earlier this year.
The Somerset county federation has been working with mental health trainers New Leaf and the Somerset Mental Health in Agriculture Group.
Mr Goulding told Farmers Weekly: “We only had one puncture between us, somehow.
“It was a great turnout at the beginning to watch us set off and it was a great turnout at the finish, people came down to Wellington to watch us cross the line.
“We had so many messages of support throughout, too, which really helped motivate us into the afternoon when it was getting hot and we were on some big climbs.
“We are so happy to have raised this money for an important cause.”
Somerset YFC team with the Lloyds riders © Ben Goulding
Lloyds Bank has pledged to match the final total raised and a group of four riders from the bank’s agriculture team in Somerset joined the charity peloton on Saturday.
Mr Goulding thanked the Lloyds team, led by Phil Titherington, for the many hours planning the route, sponsoring the team jerseys and helping to complete the challenge.
World Suicide Prevention Day
The fundraising efforts by the Somerset young farmers came ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 10 September.
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) said the day was an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and poor mental health in rural communities.
FUW president Glyn Roberts said: “Sometimes those suffering from poor mental health don’t want to talk about the things that have them feeling the way they do.
“So if you notice that a loved one is sad, not quite themselves or withdrawn – reach out to them.
“Ask them how they are feeling, listen to them, and reassure them that these feelings can be overcome.
“Together we can make progress in preventing suicides.”