Farm Support Charity sees 40% Increase in Demand For Help Services
The pressures facing the agri-sector seem to be relentless.
More challenges lie ahead in what is a rapidly changing environment. The impact these changes are having is reflected in the 40% increase in calls and referrals to the farm support charity, Rural Support
Gillian Reid, Head of Farm Support at Rural Support said: “The rapid pace of change within this sector is really taking its toll on our farmers and for many it is simply overwhelming.
“When added to significant pressures from weather, rising interest rates, input costs and market uncertainty, it gives the term resilience a whole new meaning.
“Not forgetting many of our farmers work alone for long hours, seven days a week which is physically very demanding.
“Within Rural Support we need to be equipped to deal with this increased demand and so have recently recruited additional Farm Business Mentors and Counsellors so we can continue to meet these needs as they are presented.’’
Rural Support is the farm support charity for Northern Ireland offering confidential support through its Support Line which is the main point of contact to access other services.
Rural Support provides free business, financial and technical mentoring from its dedicated team.
It also runs a series of training workshops under the Princes’ Countryside Fund Resilience Programme and delivers ‘Coping with the Pressures of Farming’ under the CAFRE Family Farm Key Skills Programme.
Life Beyond is a joint programme between Rural Support, Northern Ireland and Embrace FARM, Republic of Ireland.
It provides practical business, financial and technical mentoring support to farming families who have experienced loss – whether through bereavement or survival from a farm accident.
It also provides counselling and trauma support in the form of one-to-one mentoring and peer-to-peer group support.
‘Across the Hedgerow’ is a befriending scheme for lonely and isolated people from farming families and is delivered by Rural Support.
And ‘Plough On’ is a social connection project for older farmers who are isolated and lonely and is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Free impartial guidance is available to all farm family members through a wide range of programmes and services to help farmers and farm families build sustainable farm businesses and develop better wellbeing.
These include 1-1 Farm business mentoring, emotional support to include support for bereaved families, workshops, group activities, and programmes for older farmers.
Gyles Dawson, Head of Therapeutical Services & Crisis Support at Rural Support said: “We are helping farming families to get their business and their life back on track.
“The whole Agri-sector is reliant on the farmer.
“The stronger and more resilient the farm family is, the better their business will be, and this will have a positive impact on the wider Agri-sector.
“Therefore, the work that Rural Support perform is vital to the sector to ensure a more resilient, sustainable and profitable farming community.”
Services are unique in that this 1-1 support and guidance from Farm Business Mentors and Counsellors often takes place in the privacy of the family home and at no cost to the client.
Mentors have a wide range of skill sets and experience and will offer completely confidential and impartial support for a wide range of issues.
If you are in need of support or would like more information of the services and programmes that Rural Support provide, you can visit their website:
or call the free confidential Support Line on 0800 138 1678, open Monday – Friday, 9am – 9pm.
