Meeting the mental health needs of people in agricultural communities
Tamsin Fisher, Carolyn Chew-Graham, Dan Blake, Kim Bevan, Mat Rawsthorne, Josh Hall, Jordan Tsigarides, Richard West and Daniel James
Thursday, 26 March 2026, 12pm to 1pm
Hosted by Claire Ashmore
Farmers and people living in rural communities are at risk of depression and anxiety related to their working environment, external pressures and social isolation. Access to services may be difficult.
This webinar will offer the opportunity to hear about current research and innovation which aim to improve awareness of, and support for, people in agricultural communities.
🔗 Register here
Speakers:
Tamsin Fisher and Carolyn Chew-Graham (Keele University)
Supporting help-seeking in farmers to prevent self-harm and suicide: a multi-method study (FARM-SP)
We will describe the FARM-SP study - a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and observations in livestock markets, which aims to explore how farmers could be better supported to seek help for common mental health problems with the aim of preventing self-harm and suicide. We will summarise findings from our study and discuss next steps.
Dan Blake (UKHSA)
The mental health and wellbeing of farmers and farmworkers impacted by flooding and drought in England
Dan will describe a national online survey conducted in early 2025. A subset of survey respondents from across England are now being interviewed to gather more in-depth data. Initial findings reporting key patterns in mental health impacts, coping mechanisms, and resilience-building strategies will be presented.
Kim Bevan, Mat Rawsthorne, and Josh Hall (Tend VR)
Lessons learned in providing a novel digital mindfulness-based intervention to support the mental health of agricultural workers
The team will reflect on Tend VR's journey, in partnership with agricultural experts, to understand the adaptations required to make a mindfulness-based virtual reality programme and companion app relevant, accessible, and effective for the farming community.
Jordan Tsigarides, Richard West, Daniel James (Rural Minds)
The Rural Minds Project: Using Virtual Reality to Support Farmers and Clinicians in Addressing the Mental Health Crisis in UK Agriculture
The team will describe ‘Rural Minds’ - a virtual reality (VR) education project co-developed alongside farmers, and highlighting the pressures associated with agricultural life by following the story of a farmer in distress through their healthcare journey and towards recovery. Developed in Suffolk, the project has been launched nationally at the House of Lords, with plans for wider dissemination across the UK.
📧 Queries? Contact: Claire Ashmore – c.ashmore@keele.ac.uk