Young farmers across the UK are set to play a leading role in tackling suicide within the agricultural community with the launch of a new nationwide awareness and prevention programme by the Farm Safety Foundation, commonly known as Yellow Wellies.
According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, 47 people working in agriculture lost their lives to suicide in 2024.
But Yellow Wellies is keen to highlight that behind every statistic is “a family, a business and a community changed forever” as a result of suicide.
It believes there is an urgent need for early intervention and better access to mental health support across the farming sector.
As part of this year’s Mind Your Head campaign, Yellow Wellies has launched a new suicide awareness and prevention eLearning module, developed in partnership with Baton of Hope and funded by the Royal Foundation.
The charity said that the training is “tailored specifically for farming audiences” and it will be rolled out to Young Farmers’ Clubs across the UK this year.
The online course has been designed to reflect the realities of agricultural life, addressing challenges such as isolation, financial pressures, long working hours, physical risk and generational expectations.
Additionally, it aims to equip learners with the skills to recognise warning signs, use supportive and non-judgemental language, and develop simple safety plans, alongside clear signposting to available specialist help in the sector.
Charity
The director at Baton of Hope, Ben Wilson stated he was “delighted” that the partnership with Yellow Wellies will “bring tailored suicide prevention awareness and education to the farming, agricultural and rural communities.
“Yellow Wellies’ knowledge and passion for the farming industry means our collaboration will absolutely bring hope and improve and save lives amongst a resilient demographic; which very sadly currently sees far too many deaths by suicide,” he added.
Karen Hodgson, who is associate director at The Royal Foundation, commented: “It is great to see collaboration in action, bringing innovative approaches to suicide prevention and reaching communities that need it most.”
The manager of Yellow Wellies, Stephanie Berkeley highlighted that “suicide has been a silent crisis in farming for too long.”
“By giving people the understanding and confidence to spot concerns early and start compassionate conversations, we can help prevent moments of struggle from becoming moments of crisis.
“Farming may be a tough industry, but it is also a deeply caring one; when we equip our community with the right tools, we give each other hope and hope saves lives,” Berkeley added.
