The Church of Scotland has appointed its first ever dedicated "farming minister" to help support people in the hard-pressed agricultural industry.
57-year-old Rev Chris Blackshaw will visit farms across Scotland to provide spiritual and family support, counselling.
He will encourage people to buy local produce, and interact with young farmer groups to drive a love for education.
Rev Blackshaw will also interact with NFU Scotland representatives, visit the weekly livestock mart and attends annual agriculture shows.
A farmer’s son, he will draw together groups of people linked to the industry like vets, government agencies, livestock mart staff, those servicing the farming industry and estate workers.
The Church of Scotland says he has experience enabling him to provide support to people dealing with a wide range of issues such as stress, illness and depression.
The "innovative and creative" Pioneer Ministry post is an initial five-year appointment supported by the Church of Scotland’s Ministries Council and the Presbytery of Ayr.
The new role has been welcomed by NFU Scotland and rural charity RSABI, who say the perilous state of the ailing sector is taking a "serious" toll on the health and wellbeing of many people who too often "suffer in silence".
'Very isolating'
Mr Blackshaw, who was previously a minister to the agricultural community in Cumbria, said: “I absolutely love my new job and the feedback I have received since I started in September has been very positive.
“I was born and bred on a Derbyshire hill farm and have a good understanding of farming.
“There are not many jobs I couldn’t do on a farm so this is the ideal job for me – showing people the love of Christ by walking alongside them.”
Mr Blackshaw, who owns a smallholding in Cumbria and has seven English long horn cattle, said farming can be a very isolating profession.
“For some farmers there are not many people who they can turn to and have a confidential conversation with,” he explained.
“I have met vets who have told me that they often go back to farms, not to look at the animals but to make sure the farmers are okay.”
Mr Blackshaw, who lives near Maybole, says he is a “shoulder to lean upon in hard times”.
“I go to the local market and call at farms to let people know I am there to provide support and share in celebrations and happy times as well,” he added.
