Zero Male Suicide – supporting the farming community
The British countryside is idyllic. Tens of thousands of UK holidaymakers head to rural Britain each year to enjoy what appears to be a more peaceful way of life. But tranquil pastoral landscapes can hide a shocking reality: 92% of UK farmers under the age of 40 say that poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing their community. More than one agricultural worker dies by suicide a week and studies indicate that farmers are three times more likely than average to take their own life.
The majority of these agricultural suicide victims are male, and worldwide statistics show that gender differences in suicide rates are significant. Globally, suicide occurs about 1.8 times more often among men than women. In the UK, since the mid-1990s, men have accounted for three-quarters of suicide deaths, and they are highest among those in middle age.
So, for International Men’s Day, we are looking at why this is so and what help and support are available to all men while shining a spotlight on the agricultural community.
What is International Men’s Day?
November 19th is International Men’s Day. It is a worldwide celebration of the value men bring to their families and communities. The objective is to highlight positive role models and raise awareness of men’s wellbeing. The theme for 2023 is Zero Male Suicide. Nearly 5,000 men per year lose their lives to suicide in the UK, the equivalent of 13 per day, and it is the biggest cause of male deaths under 50.
What causes the high male suicide rate?
This is a complex issue. Breakdowns in relationships, separation from children, job losses, addiction, a lack of close friendships, loneliness, and an unwillingness to open up contribute to the high numbers. Financial issues are a major factor in male suicide. Men facing financial deprivation are ten times more likely to take their own life than men in a more affluent financial situation.
Why we are focussing on the farming community for International Men’s Day
We know that some of the factors outlined above are particularly prevalent in the farming community. A study by the University of Exeter and Farming Community Network found that long hours and solitary working cause loneliness for many agricultural workers. In addition, evidence submitted to the UK parliament identified financial difficulties caused by fluctuations in farming incomes, the burden of overly complex paperwork, poor work-life balance, and community pressures as detrimental factors.
Rupert Cox is the coordinator of Farmerados, a project and social movement funded by Open Mental Health that provides pop-up Farmhouse Kitchens offering comfort and chat to encourage good mental health. Farmerados is inspired by and part of the wider international Camerados movement, which believes that people and purpose is what gets us all through life, whatever type of tough time folk are having, by bringing people together and looking out for one another Camerados enables people to feel more connected. You can find out more about the Camerados movement at camerados.org
Reflecting on the high rate of suicide in the farming sector, Rupert says, “Most people don’t have the tools available to make a snap decision. But, if you do, well… they can do that quite quickly. What we find is even the young men that take their own lives, there’ve been very few signs for the people around them because they very quickly jumped to the conclusion that they’re worthless and everyone else is better off without them.”
Rupert explained the difficult financial concerns farmers can face, “There’s a changing landscape for financial support for farmers. The biggest change in thirty-odd years. People who work on farms feel a bit threatened that their jobs may not be secure. So, it’s not just the farmer or, very stereotypically, the farmer’s wife, but actually, the whole workforce as well.”
The BBC recently reported that flood-hit farmers state that the weather has taken a huge toll on their mental health, and they have received little support.
Rupert says it’s a “shocking time now, and the long-term impact of today’s weather on next year’s cropping and what have you is an issue.”
Farmerados: uniting farmers by sharing the load
However, while the farming community faces many challenges, support is available in Somerset. Farmerados is committed to offering the farming community a friendly, supportive space to share and connect with others in the same boat. Their philosophy is straightforward and helpful: they recognise that times are tough but that problems feel lighter when shared with others who understand farming life. Farmerados don’t try to fix or solve people’s problems. Instead, they focus on friendly camaraderie, supportive listening, and forging genuine relationships.
Rupert explains that Farmerados is “a space for farmers to gather round over a cup of tea and talk about what they want to talk about. There’s no agenda. We don’t necessarily talk about mental health . We don’t because, if anything, I’d like to regard us as a pre-mental health organisation.”
Farmerados believe that a conversation can help farmers realise they are not alone and that sharing their worries can take some weight off. As part of their strategy, Farmerados operate pop-up farmhouse kitchens at agricultural markets and events across Somerset where farmers can drop in to offload with others who understand their challenges.
Farmerados volunteers have experience of agricultural life and know how tough it can be. Becky Wright of Love Community CIC, an umbrella organisation representing community-based initiatives, including Farmerados, says, “We need to step away from having experts and patients in our support system. It’s time to really appreciate that when we are low or struggling in life, turning to a friend, especially one who understands and shares our life journey, is magic. Farming is a community, and the way to help is with and through the community. Farmerados is such a brilliant example of this. It’s not there to fix, just to come alongside. It’s been such a pleasure to see this project grow friendships and change lives since it started.”
Rupert explains, “People don’t always want to talk about mental health or suicide. We all know it can happen over there somewhere. But if we start talking to each other and we have confidence in talking to each other, and I go away from a conversation feeling a bit better about myself, there’s a chance I won’t get poor mental health.”
At Farmerados, Rupert says, things are different. “When we get two farmers together, one might be really, really positive about life, and he can pass that on to somebody who perhaps isn’t feeling quite so confident about life. And that’s the nub of Farmerados, you come up alongside me, and hopefully you’ll feel a bit better afterwards. And then I’ll introduce you to someone, and he might be able to make you feel a bit better.”
Somerset Health Hubs for Farmers
Across Somerset, other support is available for farmers. NHS Foundation Trust operates wellbeing centres at the Exmoor Farmers Livestock Auction, Frome Livestock Market and Derek Mead Health Room in Bridgwater, where agricultural workers, farmers and their family members can get specialist advice without making an appointment.
Hub staff are recruited for their farming backgrounds, and the hub’s volunteers come from farming and community-based charities, so they understand the kind of support farmers need.
Jane Fitzgerald, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s manager, says: “Many people who work in the farming community often put the health and welfare of their livestock above that of their own wellbeing and therefore tend to put off seeking help when it could help to save their life. We know farmers often live and work in isolated communities, and we are proud our teams are taking services to locations that are easy for them to access. Sometimes, we see farmers who are looking for reassurance and in other cases we have noticed signs of something that could be more significant.”
International Men’s Day—a time to connect
Rupert says, “I am delighted there is such a thing as International Men’s Day. We have people who’ve experienced bereavement. It can be felt that as the man of the family, they’re not really supposed to show much emotion. I’m the bloke. I’ve got to make sure we hold all this together. But if you said, have you had bereavement counselling, they’d laugh at you even though it’s a service that’s there. But you start that ball rolling, and you say, well, there are people out there if you want to talk to others that have been through it.”
Rupert reflected that some people in the farming community can be hard to reach—the hardworking person down the end of a farm track who’s never seen and suffers in silence without connecting to anyone. “If I could give them a message, it’s find somebody to talk to. And it might be your wife you don’t talk to, or you might meet a couple of mates in the pub just chatting over a game of pool or darts or just over the pork scratchings. What’s important is that you’re actually talking.”
Help is at hand
To learn more about Farmerados, sign up for their newsletter or visit the Farmerados contact page.
No matter who you are, help and support are available if you have been affected by the issues discussed in this article. Our team at Mindline Somerset are here to support you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call locally on 01823 276892 or freephone 0800 138 1692. Mindline Live Web Chat is available every day from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., too.
In addition, Crisis Safe Space is an out-of-hours service provided by our partners Mind in Somerset and Second Step for anyone struggling with their mental health. Instead of going to A&E, making an urgent doctor’s appointment, or suffering in silence, you can arrange a one-to-one session with a member of the Crisis Safe Space team who will be willing to listen and help.
Anyone can experience thoughts of suicide, and they can happen for many reasons. To learn more, read our article about understanding suicide.