Three farm support organisations have been given a boost after receiving funding from the Princes Countryside Fund (PCF).
Lincolnshire Rural Support Network, Shropshire Rural Support and Warwickshire Rural Hub are among the first six projects to benefit from the PCFs Happiness Grants which have been launched in partnership with Waitrose.
The money will help to improve access to emergency mental health and financial services for farmers and help to share environmentally friendly farming practices in the community. As part of the package, the retailer has also pledged to support and assist the groups wherever possible through promotion in local stores, fundraising and community engagement opportunities.
A spokesperson for Shropshire Rural Support said having the backing of Waitrose alongside the Happiness Fund grant would make a significant contribution to its service.
The spokesperson said: We are a small charity and this will make such a difference to us. Not only will the funding help, but through the support offered by Waitrose we can do more to reach the hard to reach.
Sadly, there are a lot of people in need of help and we are trying our best to get the message out that there is help available and that we are here if people need to talk.
"The Happiness Grant will enable us to raise awareness about our group and to let more people in the farming community know that they do not have to go through things alone - it is okay to reach out and to talk.
PCF director Keith Halstead said: This significant investment is making a real difference to peoples lives and responds to the needs of farming and rural communities.
Whether our funding is empowering community-led projects or meeting day-to-day running costs of farm support groups, we ensure family farms have access to practical, local help when they need it.
If you feel you would like to find out more about the groups or speak to someone there, you can contact Lincolnshire Rural Support Network here or call 0800 138 1710; Shropshire Rural Support here or by calling 0300 123 2825; or the Warwickshire Rural Hub which can be found here.
You can find more confidential help and information via the Farming Community Network.
