New heritage project to help address loneliness in farming and rural areas

• A new research pilot developed by the University of Edinburgh and supported by The Farming Community Network (FCN) charity hopes to help address loneliness in rural areas – and reacquaint people with farming’s exciting heritage

The Farmers Take 30 Together Virtual (T30TV) pilot invites participants from across the UK to escape, explore and e-socialize with farming heritage, through virtual sessions on Wednesday evenings in March 2022.

The Farmers T30TV pilot programme will be a mix of fascinating and engaging heritage stories and insights. Some of the sessions will focus on heritage related directly to farming and others will have non-farming heritage content, to support opportunities of ‘trying new things’ and potentially developing new interest areas.

Sessions will include forward thinking farmers of the 1920s; rural superstitions; and the incredible work of bees.

Farmers T30TV will run every Wednesday evening, 7.30-8.30pm, from Wednesday 2 March to Wednesday 30 March 2022. The pilot is hoping to recruit farmers and farming families across the UK.

To get involved or to learn more, email prescribeculture@ed.ac.uk

The pilot follows a recent study by the University of Exeter’s Centre for Rural Policy Research and FCN into causes of loneliness and isolation in farming – and ways of providing additional support to the farming community:https://fcn.org.uk/research/

Alex Phillimore, Head of Communications and Development with The Farming Community Network, said: “This project is an exciting opportunity for people in rural areas to join virtual tours to learn more about farming’s heritage in the UK. A lack of social opportunities in farming can amplify feelings of loneliness and isolation. We hope this project will provide a unique opportunity for like-minded people to come together and learn more about the fascinating history and heritage of farming.”

Ruthanne Baxter, Museums Manager and Prescribe Culture Lead, from the University of Edinburgh, said: “As someone from a farming family in rural, County Fermanagh, I am aware of the long hours and lone working the farming community do and the knock-on effect that has on work/life balance and opportunities to socialise. Prescribe Culture’s Take 30 Together Virtual programme evidences benefits to mental wellbeing, particularly increasing a sense of connection and contribution, as well as developing new interests. Having studied the recommendations from the research carried out by the University of Exeter and FCN, I am keen to see if developing a bespoke Farmers T30TV programme, can bring those same benefits to the farming community.”

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