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Tractor selfies campaign to prevent suicide gains momentum

Philip Case 25 August 2015
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A campaign to raise awareness of mental health issues in farming is attracting support from hundreds of farmers across the world.

The #tractorselfie4rob social media campaign was initiated by Alex Paske in memory of her friend Northamptonshire farmer Rob Chapman, 29, who took his own life last summer.

Farmers from countries across the world including the USA, Canada, Poland and Australia have posted selfies of themselves with tractors in the background to back the campaign.

See also: Farmers’ tractor selfies raise cash for suicide prevention charity

Supporters then make a donation to Papyrus by texting the code RFTG64 plus the the amount to 70070 (for example, RFTG64 £5) – and upload their photos to Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #tractorselfie4rob and encourage others to post photos.

More than 550 people have supported the cause so far, raising more than £3,100.

Ms Paske, managing director of Mintridge Events, said her company was organising a 3km/5km Tractor Run at Longbrook Farm, Thurning, Peterborough, on 20 December to remember Mr Chapman and raise more funds for Papyrus, a national UK charity dedicated to helping prevent young people taking their own lives.

She said: “We hope to raise awareness of mental health within the farming community as well as keep Rob’s memory alive with his greatest love at the forefront of it all… tractors.”

To enter the Tractor Run event, visit the webite www.mintridge-events.co.uk.

According to the Office for National Statistics, in the UK one farmer a week dies by suicide.

Some studies have suggested that farmers may be three times more likely that the average person to take their own life.

It has been suggested that the higher risk of suicide in farming is due to the pressures of cashflow, red tape and increasing isolation in the job.

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