The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Ex-marines put through paces on farm
Three former Royal Marines with 86 years service between them have spent an afternoon on an Angus farm as part of an RSABI initiative.
The rural charity has been working with former Royal Marine Ian Clar, managing director of IED Training Solutions, and Major Hugh Jones (rtd), for the past two years as part of a mental health first aid initiative.
The former marines were put through their paces in the Jackson family’s lambing shed at Southtown of Melgund near Brechin.
During their visit to the farm they fed sheep and lambs, shifted straw bales and heard all about the farm business from three generations of Jacksons – Johnny, Billy and Glenn.
They also had the opportunity to inspect Johnny’s pride and joy, a very well-maintained vintage Case tractor.
The certified training is aimed at encouraging people to talk more freely about mental health, reducing stigma and improving understanding about what to look out for and how to respond when someone may be struggling.
Over the past two years more than 600 people working in the frontline with farmers have been trained through the initiative around the country from Orkney and Shetland to the Borders and Dumfriesshire.
Those trained have ranged from vets, Scottish SPCA inspectors and quality assurance assessors to agronomists, consultants and bankers.
Ian Clark of IED Training Solutions said he was very pleased with the way the training has been received by the Scottish farming community.
“We are delighted to be continuing this work with RSABI,” said Ian.
“It is very rewarding for us to see the training being so well received and to start to see the cascade benefit of hundreds of trained mental health first aiders now on the ground in the Scottish agricultural community.”
In response to demand for the training, two additional retired Royal Marines, Major Neil Foreman and Ross Wilson WO1 (RSM) will join Major Hugh Jones to deliver the training in the year ahead.
Organisations or individuals working with farmers or crofters on a daily basis can request the training by emailing mentalhealthtraining@ rsabi.org.uk
This initiative builds on the charity’s #keeptalking campaign to encourage people to look out for each other during the winter months and a new Thrive mental health app which is available free of charge and can be requested by calling the Helpline number on 0808 1234 555.