Young Farmers’ Clubs are being encouraged to get involved in The Big Farming Tea Break to bring communities together during The Farm Safety Foundation's Mind Your Head week (12-16 February 2024).
The initiative has been inspired by Andy and Lynda Eadon, who lost their son Leonard – a Warwickshire YFC member – to suicide in 2022. The Big Farming Tea Break is supported by the Livestock Auctioneers Association and will be hosted in collaboration with The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies).
Livestock Markets, universities and colleges are also being asked to host a tea break to bring everyone together to talk.
The Eadons said: “Everyone has a voice, a value, a family and a community to be part of and proud of. Respect is something we all desire and deserve and is the mainstay of positive mental health. So, let’s be positive and proud of our industry. Let’s come together and talk about how we are really feeling.”
Clubs who host an event during the week are encouraged to post a photo to social media, using the hashtag #BigFarmingTeaBreak to help raise awareness. Tea breaks will be held throughout the week and include a special event at Westminster on 14 February, which would have been Leonard’s 25th birthday.
Since losing Leonard, Andy and Lynda have talked with many families who have lost loved ones. The couple started Len’s Light to raise awareness of mental health in rural communities and they have made it their mission to bring communities together, to get people talking and champion British farming.
If your YFC is planning a tea break, please tag @NFYFC or email media@nfyfc.org.uk so we can share your photos.
