Herefordshire farmer walks 142 miles for mental health in agriculture

A Herefordshire sheep farmer is embarking on a 142-mile walk to highlight the hidden mental health pressures facing agriculture during this year’s Mind Your Head Week.

Sam Stables, a tenant farmer from Kingsthorne, is traveling from Ross-on-Wye to London to raise awareness of wellbeing in farming and to fundraise for the National Federation of Young Farmers.

One of the most striking symbols of the challenge is a seed bag worn on his back, marked with words such as “weather, finances, exhaustion” to reflect the worries many farmers carry silently every day.

Mr Stables, who co-founded the charity We are Farming Minds, is taking on the walk as part of the annual Mind Your Head Week campaign led by Yellow Wellies, which encourages farmers to speak openly about mental health and seek support.

Speaking about the challenge, he said: “I want every farmer to know that support exists, that they are not alone, and that things can get better.”

He started in Ross-on-Wye Market on 9 February and plans to arrive at the Farmers Club in Whitehall on 13 February, staying at farms along the route.

The walk comes amid ongoing concern over stress, isolation, long hours and financial strain across the farming sector.

Mr Stables said the event is intended to promote “greater understanding, more open conversations, and stronger support for those who feed the nation”.

The initiative has drawn backing from the NFU and other industry bodies. NFU Deputy President David Exwood said: “No-one should have to face mental health challenges alone.”

He added that while farming is “an incredibly rewarding way of life”, it can also be isolating, making it vital for people to talk and check in with one another.

“Mind Your Head Week is an important reminder to stop and look out for ourselves and each other,” he said.

Mr Stables founded We are Farming Minds with his wife Emily after experiencing his own mental health struggles. The charity, which counts HRH Prince William as its patron, provides counselling, agricultural training and a 24-hour support line staffed by Samaritans-trained volunteers.

It also runs a retired farmers’ group, with around 130 members visiting a different farm each month.

Mr Stables hopes the charity can expand into more counties in future to widen access to support across rural communities.

Supporters can follow his journey online via @Wearefarmingminds or donate through the fundraising campaign.