It’s take a look at the www.yellowwellies.org.uk website and their rural mental health campaign #mindyourhead.
I think it’s fair to say the whole farming community struggles with prioritising their own health and in particular their mental wellbeing. I can guarantee if you are on top form health wise there will be somebody in your circle of friends who is not, somebody who is hiding how they are truly feeling, somebody who is crying out for help but does not know how to ask, somebody who does not want to appear weak.
The Yellow Wellies #mindyourhead campaign not only helps you recognise the signs that people may be struggling but also highlights how you can reach out to people that may be too proud to seek support.
The ‘black dog’ of depression caught up with me in the autumn of 2008 but I was too proud/embarrassed/stubborn to be open about how much I was struggling and to seek the professional help I really needed. It was seven years before I opened up about how I was feeling and then it was a chance discussion with a colleague who was having their own battle with mental wellbeing.
If only Yellow Wellies and #mindyourhead was around back in 2008 – it would almost certainly have been life changing for me.
So go on, do that one extra thing this week , take a look at www.yellowwellies.org.uk
Mike Rowe is a consultant with Stephens Scown’s rural and energy teams, bringing over 30 years of banking experience and providing independent expertise to clients regarding the funding of projects. Mike is part of The 2 Minute Farmer project, a collaboration between Stephens Scown LLP and the Rural Business School supported by the Agri-Tech Cornwall Project. Its aim is to help farmers tackle the challenges of modern life by exploring and unpacking complex issues in a manageable way.