The Farmers Mart Feb/Mar 2016 - Issue 44 | Page 19

YAMS 2016
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Stay fit for
farming
»»HEALTH BOTH MENTAL AND
physical is vital for all of us
and as we all know, farming
can have its negative impact
on both. So it was good to see
that so many people at this
year’s YAMS found time for
a health check organised by
The Yorkshire Rural Support
Network (part of the charitable
activity of The Yorkshire
Agricultural Society).
“We were only at YAMS
between 11am and 2pm but
managed to see almost 50
people in that time
which was great,”
said Kate Dale,
Yorkshire
Rural Support
Network
Co-ordinator.
“It was a
very busy
event and great
to see so many
people willing to stop
for a chat, have a healthcheck
and visit RABI and Farming
Community Network too.”
THE RESULTS AT THE
YAMS EVENT REVEALED:
• 45 blood pressures, 6 back
to GPs
• 46 cholesterol, 3 back to
GPs and blood glucose 4
back to GPs
• 46 asked about diet and
were advised
• 14 given smoking advice
• 9 mental health issues
including 2 with stress
regarding RPA !
• 1 person concerned re
irregular heart beat and
Warfarin treatment
“We find it interesting that over
the period of time we have been
providing health checks, people
have become much more willing

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to approach the
nurses and also
very much more
prepared to
talk about mental health issues
(depression and stress), diet and
alcohol,” Kate explained. “We
see this as a real triumph of trust
and credibility. Many people just
want to talk to someone outside
their network of friends and
family sometimes and this gives
them a chance to offload some
of their worries. It also gives us a
mechanism to suggest other
sources of help and
support and very
often when we
are out and
about, the
Farming Help
Charities are
right next to us
anyway.
“We couldn’t
run these health
checks without the
permission and support of our
hosts and without financial
support from business people
who value the loyalty and
commitment of their farmers,
customers and friends and see it
as giving something back to the
industry. Our nurses should also
be praised for their willingness
to set up shop in a variety of
unusual locations and deal with
a pretty diverse group of farming
folk!”

THE FARMING
COMMUNITY
NETWORK (FCN)

iSBn 978 0 85761 045 4

YORKSHIRE RURAL
SUPPORT NETWORK
The Yorkshire Rural Support
Network is a GYS based
Network and has strong links
with organisations dedicated
to helping rural and farming
communities. It sees the
promotion of good health as a
vital element of its work.

Fully revised 2013 edition

'Great to see so
many people
willing to stop
for a chat, have
a healthcheck
and visit RABI
and Farming
Community
Network too'
THE FARMING COMMUNITY
NETWORK (FCN)
The Farming Community
Network (FCN)’s team of
volunteers provide pastoral
and practical support and a
confidential, national telephone
helpline 0300 111 999 (7am
-11pm every day).
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL
BENEVOLENT
INSTITUTION (RABI)
Royal Agricultural Benevolent
Institution (RABI) provides
confidential care and support
for people of any age who
are in crisis, (including grant
support) for farmers, farm
workers, farm managers and
their dependents. Call 0808
281 9490 (Monday – Friday,
9am-5pm).
THE ADDINGTON FUND
The Addington Fund
provides homes for farming
families in England and Wales
who have to leave farming and
who by doing so, will lose their
home. It also offers emergency
grants in times of hardship.
Tel: [phone] (Monday –
Friday, 9am-5pm).

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL
BENEVOLENT
INSTITUTION (RABI)
Call 0808 281 9490
(Monday – Friday, 9am5pm)

THE ADDINGTON FUND
Call: 01926 620135
(Monday – Friday, 9am5pm)

SEXUALITY – GAY
FARMER HELPLINE
Call: 07837 931894
www.gayfarmer.co.uk

YORKSHIRE RURAL
SUPPORT NETWORK
The Regional Agricultural
Centre, Great Yorkshire
Showground, Harro