The pig sector is being urged to support ‘the Naked Farmer’ in his quest to raise awareness about mental health issues in farming.
Norfolk poultry farmer Patrick Joice learned he had terminal cancer in March 2018 and subsequently suffered serious depression as he struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis.
Thanks to the persistence and support of his wife, Zanna, he eventually sought the help of YANA (You Are Not Alone), a charity helping farmers deal with stress and depression, and is now campaigning to raise money and aware- ness to help the wider farming community.
He has posed naked for pictures in his poultry shed, earning him the label ‘the Naked Farmer’, a movement that originated in Australia. And, with friends, he has organised ‘The Naked Farmer Charity Cricket Day at Brisley Cricket Club, Dereham, Norfolk, on June 22.
The event is intended to help ‘smash the stigma of mental health both in society and agriculture, and raise money to allow YANA to continue their extraordinary and much needed work’, he said.
Yorkshire pig farmer Richard Longthorp, who described Mr Joice as ‘one of life’s great guys’, urged the pig sector to support his fundraising efforts, including companies able to sponsor the charity cricket day.
Donations can be made via the Naked Farmer Cricket Day page at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com.
