The days might be short and the weather cold but there’s something about this time of year which is a little bit special.
Whether it’s the festive lights, the party atmosphere or the seemingly never-ending present buying, the run-up to Christmas brings its own brand of excitement and an opportunity to be grateful for everything we have in abundance.
At H&H Insurance Brokers, we’re committed to supporting the charities and organisations which make such a difference to our communities, and I’ve been privileged to be part of some brilliant projects this year which do just that.
As part of our ongoing support of the farming charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), I was proud to be involved in its mental health first aid training courses aimed at encouraging more farmers and agricultural workers to open up about their struggles.
I was joined by colleagues from across H&H Insurance Brokers’ regions for the specialist training which included learning how to identify signs of depression or stress in farmers, how to begin sensitive conversations around mental health, and support for the trainee should they need it
Having open conversations about mental health has never been more important. The Big Farming Survey, a national research project conducted by RABI, found that 34 per cent of men in agriculture admitted they suffered from anxiety or depression, and 54 per cent of women experience stress or anxiety within farming.
Agriculture can be a very lonely occupation, especially when farmers are working outside in all weather and at all hours. Dealing with livestock, paperwork and financial pressures can create worrying and stressful situations which have an impact on mental health.
As our account executives are regularly in contact with farmers and their partners, being able to spot the signs that somebody is struggling and start meaningful conversations could be the difference between someone opening up or suffering in silence.
Ultimately, anything we can do to get the conversation started around mental health and remove any stigma attached to it is a positive step forward.
Our support for RABI extended to the recent BaConversation event at Northallerton Rugby Club which we organised and sponsored in conjunction with the charity and H&H Land and Estates. The event brought together farmers for a bacon sandwich and Saturday morning chat with the aim of tackling isolation in rural communities.
It was a brilliant event to part of – and the bacon butties were pretty good too!
As 2024 draws to a close, I know my New Year’s resolution will be to build on the time and support we’ve provided for the RABI this year – and do even more of the same next year.
As a committee member of the charity's North Yorkshire branch, we have the RABI Ball to look forward to in March. This promises to be a great evening which raises awareness of and funds for the RABI. We hope to see you there.
Happy Christmas and very best wishes for 2025!
- RABI runs a 24/7 helpline for farmers struggling with their mental health on 0800 188 4444. People can also request help by emailing [email protected] or by accessing a live chat function at www.rabi.org.uk
- RABI is one of three charities H&H Group, of which H&H Insurance Brokers is part of, has selected to support throughout 2025. The other charities are the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) and Growing Well.
H&H Insurance Brokers works with farmers and businesses across the country and has offices in Northallerton, Durham, Hexham, Carlisle, Newtown St Boswells, Ruthin and Wrexham.