Winning the hearts and minds battle in the countryside
Last year, dressing as characters from the Wizard of Oz and a mass cycle ride were just two of the ways McCartneys raised money for mental health charity, Mind.
Now with the total approaching nearly £6,000, it’s time to say a massive thank you to all the local businesses and farmers who helped us along the way.
Whether it was donating a lamb or ewe to be sold in aid of the charity at one of our livestock markets or signing one of our sponsorship forms, we know the money is going to be put to good use. We’ll be splitting it between Mind in Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Powys where our offices are based.
While press attention and trade bodies did much to raise awareness around suicides in farming a few years ago, we mustn’t forget mental health is something we need to be mindful of on an ongoing basis. This is why we chose to raise money for Mind.
I was happy to read this week that The Farm Safety Foundation, the charity behind Farm Safety Week, has launched their ‘Mind You Head’ initiative but dismayed to read once again that one farmer a week still takes their own life.
If you or someone you know is struggling, then please talk to someone. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone close to you, then Mind has a really useful website, www.mind.org.uk or you can all them on 0300 123 3393.
Farmers are renowned for not looking after themselves and this year we’re switching our fundraising to another cause - your heart! We’ll be raising money to purchase defibrillators for our livestock markets and will make a donation direct to the British Heart Foundation.
Why? Well we know that anyone can have a heart attack, at any time and in any place and we want to have lifesaving defibrillators at our livestock markets should the worst happen. Secondly, Helen Carter, who works in our rural professional department is a first responder and she’s inspired us all to learn more about lifesaving techniques.
So, if you read the Shropshire Star or visit our website www.mccartneys.co.uk or social media platforms this year, you may see us doing one or two more crazy things in the name of charity. They may be fun, but there’s a serious point for the farming and rural community at large. 2018 really is the year to start looking after yourself, both physically and mentally.
Jenny Layton-Mills, Partner, Rural Professional Department, McCartneys in Knighton
