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| Mark Suthern, Chairman of the Farming Community Network |
Earlier this autumn Freda Lacey (Senior Officer Health & Wellbeing team) and I joined the Farming Community Network for a Harvest Service of Thanksgiving and AGM at the Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells. This was the prelude to a 2-day national conference for the charity’s volunteers, staff and trustees.
Christopher Jones MBE founded FCN (then known as the Farming Crisis Network), in 1995. This followed two decades of falling farming prices in the 1980s and 90s, which led to a rise in the number of farmer suicides. Unfortunately, suicide cases in the farming community are still some of the highest recorded in the UK, and today the charity is increasingly called upon to support members of the farming community across England and Wales.
The PAVO mental health team first worked with David Williams, the FCN Regional Director for Wales, and himself a farmer in Monmouthshire, late last year. We hosted Ramble with a Big Cheese, a farming engagement activity in Powys, where we listened to people close to, or working within, the farming community to hear first-hand some of the current issues. Our aim is to make sure that people, not just farming families but support organisations, know where they can best access support and help around their mental health if they’re based in Powys.
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| Photo © Farming Community Network |
FCN has a network of over 400 volunteers across England and Wales, many of whom are involved in farming, or have close links with agriculture, and therefore have a great understanding of the issues that farmers, farm workers and farming families regularly face. These volunteers provide free, confidential, pastoral and practical support to anyone who seeks help, regardless of whether the issue is personal or business-related. They will "walk with" anyone who seeks support and help them find a positive way through their problems - for as long as it is needed. Issues range from financial difficulties, animal disease, mental health and family disputes.
In addition to local groups of volunteers, FCN runs a confidential national helpline and an e-helpline, which is open every day of the year from 7am - 11pm (tel: 03000 111 999).
David welcomed us to the first FCN conference in Wales. He said, “We can live in our own bubble in the farming world and think that we are the only one with issues. But you will find that a lot of people are suffering and need the help that we supply.”
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| Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales |
The FCN has its roots in Christian theology and ethics. One of the Mid Wales volunteers, the Reverend Ifor Williams (“I used to milk cows”) led the harvest service, whilst Dr Christianne Glossop, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, spoke about the importance of faith to agricultural and rural communities.
FCN Chair, Mark Suthern, described a “period of history repeating itself.” First there was the agricultural revolution, when pioneers set about farming for the first time following centuries of a hunter-gathering lifestyle. During the Industrial Revolution many farmers were displaced by machines and switched to factory work in rapidly expanding urban areas. More recently there has been a Green Revolution, with new pesticides impacting on agriculture. And now we are in a digital and agri-tech led revolution – another massive period of change for the farming community.
The farmer of today has to be a finance expert, a frustrated engineer, a soil scientist, a stockman, a vet and an environmentalist all rolled into one.
Mark asked, “how do we help those frightened by a period of change? We need to harness our strengths and support people through this.” He talked us through the current challenges for FCN, gave a summary of last year’s casework, and highlighted in more detail some of the problems presenting.
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| David Williams, FCN Regional Director for Wales, addresses AGM guests |
Two of FCN’s vital tasks for the coming year are:
- To expand the helpline services.
- Training people to have confidence to engage in those important conversations with farming families.
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| Powys FCN Volunteer Coordinator Pat Borland speaks at the Harvest Service |
Farming Community Network volunteers
It was an excellent opportunity for us at PAVO to meet and find out more about some of the work that FCN volunteers are doing to support farming families. Some volunteers, with experience of farming and their own mental health issues, now give talks to local farming groups to raise awareness and reduce the stigma.
Whilst at the AGM I also met Mid Wales Volunteer Coordinator Pat Borland, who will be writing a separate blog post about the work she does supporting volunteers across Powys. Earlier this year Owen Griffkin, (Mental Health Participation Officer) went to the Farming Community Network’s Powys volunteers’ event and met with the people who deal with enquiries from farmers in crisis in Powys.
Some of the enquiries the volunteers receive can be wellbeing related and they said it would be good to have more information about specialised services in the area. Owen worked on an information pack specifically for the volunteers, with a handy info sheet with lots of local organisations featured. The idea is that the volunteers can have it ready-to-hand when on a call with somebody, so that they can quickly find the right help. We also collated leaflets from all the local groups (such as Ponthafren Association and the Mind centres across Powys) to help the volunteers find out more details about each organisation and what services they offer.
If you want to find out more about volunteering with FCN in Powys then contact David by emailing: David@fcn.org.uk
If you need support, then ring the helpline no: 03000 111 999 (7am – 11pm daily) or email: help@fcn.org.uk
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