The Prince’s Countryside Fund is celebrating the value of Farmer Networks during National Countryside Week from 20th – 26th July. The Fund has launched a National Directory of Farm and Rural Support Groups listing 69 organisations providing support, advice, and guidance to farming and rural communities. With one farmer a week taking their own life, making support groups easy to find and accessible is vital.
Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said: “We are proud to be able to support UK farm support groups, both financially through our grant programme and by highlighting the importance of their work in our National Directory. Over the past year, through the work of our Farm Support Coordinator Diane Spark, we have been supporting these networks to share best practice, communicate more easily with each other, and advocate on their behalf to government and other bodies. Our aim for the future is to make these networks more sustainable and help them to grow, ensuring that all UK farmers can receive local help when desired. Thank you to our partners for their backing of the National Directory of Farm and Rural Support Groups and our work looking after the people who look after the countryside.”
Veronica Waller of the Farmer Network said: “the Prince’s Countryside Fund has provided a grant of £5,000 to help the Farmer Network provide advice and support to farmers in Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales throughout the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
“COVID-19 has increased farmer isolation at a time of great change and uncertainty for the industry. We want to help farmers connect with each other to find out information, share their experiences and reduce isolation.”
