Support for Rural & Agricultural Communities
Living and working in the countryside can bring a strong sense of belonging, purpose and pride. It can also bring pressures that are difficult to share, especially when your home, livelihood and family responsibilities are closely connected.
Whether you’re a farmer, agricultural worker, contractor or family member, your wellbeing matters. If things are becoming difficult, you don’t have to face them alone.
What we believe
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"Most kids looked up to Jordan. He was fiercely loyal and would always stand up for the underdog, publicly confronting bullies or those who would mock others."
Why is mental health so important in rural and agricultural communities?
Long hours, financial uncertainty, unpredictable weather and responsibility for livestock, land and livelihoods can create considerable pressure. For family businesses, worries about succession or keeping the farm going for the next generation can feel deeply personal.
Working alone or living some distance from services can make it harder to connect with others and find support. In a close-knit community, concerns about privacy or what others might think can also make speaking openly feel difficult.
You don’t need to wait until you reach a crisis to ask for help. Whatever you’re facing, you deserve to be listened to and supported.
If you’re struggling right now, please visit our I Need Help Now page.
Where can those in rural communities find support?
These trusted organisations provide dedicated support for frontline workers:
Baton of Hope and The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) have joined forces to launch the Farming Pledge: a new initiative for the farming and rural community designed to make their industry, workplaces and ways of life psychologically safe.
RABI — provides professional support to the farming community across England and Wales, including financial assistance, confidential advice and free, anonymous online and face-to-face counselling, all available via their 24/7 helpline
Vetlife — provides independent, confidential and free help for everyone in the veterinary community including veterinary nurses, students and non-clinical staff.
Farming Community Network — support farmers and their families within the farming community, including a free confidential, national helpline.
Vet Support - offer a safe, empathetic, non-judgemental listening ear to anyone connected with the veterinary industry in the UK and Ireland.
Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation — a mental health awareness and suicide prevention charity for people working and living in rural and agricultural communities and their support networks.
The DPJ Foundation — supports mental health in agriculture and rural communities across Wales and offers a range of services including a 24/7 confidential counselling referral service.
Many people find enormous comfort in being alongside others who truly understand. Samaritans' Facing the Future groups are free online peer support groups for people bereaved by suicide — weekly 90-minute sessions over six weeks, facilitated by trained volunteers. SOBS and The New Normal Charity also run free peer support groups across the UK and online.
What we believe
Discover Our Vision →
What if the farm or business depends on me?
When people, animals and daily tasks depend on you, looking after yourself can slip to the bottom of the list. Taking a break may feel impossible, and asking for help can feel like letting others down.
Your wellbeing deserves attention too. Sharing what’s happening with someone you trust, or an organisation that understands farming, can be a first step towards finding practical options and easing some of the pressure. You don’t have to have all the answers before starting that conversation.
How can I support someone I’m worried about?
Family members, neighbours, colleagues and people who regularly visit farms can all help create opportunities to talk. A quiet check-in, away from the demands of the working day, can give someone space to share how they’re really feeling.
You don’t need to be an expert or solve every problem. Listen without judgement, take their concerns seriously and offer to help them connect with appropriate support. Keep in touch afterwards too.
Our I’m Worried About Someone page offers guidance on recognising when someone may be struggling and starting a conversation.
What support is available after a suicide?
A suicide can affect a whole rural community. Family members, friends, neighbours and colleagues may be grieving while also trying to manage the practical demands of a farm or business.
People need different kinds of support, sometimes long after the initial loss. Compassionate contact, practical help and opportunities to talk can all matter.
Visit our Bereavement Support page for organisations that support people affected by suicide.
The Jordan Legacy offers talks, workshops and workplace learning to help people understand suicide prevention, feel more confident starting conversations and connect with appropriate support..
Contact hello@thejordanlegacy.com to discuss a talk or session for your business, organisation or rural community.
Together, we can help create communities where asking for help feels possible—and nobody feels they have to carry their worries alone.
What about other high-pressure industries?
Support also exists for other sectors where pressure runs high: The Burnt Chef Project and Hospitality Action (hospitality); RABI, The Farming Community Network and The DPJ Foundation (farming and rural communities); and Vetlife and Vet Support (veterinary). Find more on our
Help & Resources pages.
How can we make our service psychologically safe?
Culture change starts with leaders who talk openly and teams trained to spot when a colleague is struggling. The Jordan Legacy delivers talks and Workplace Training tailored to emergency services and healthcare settings, and our Workplaces page sets out five practical actions any organisation can take today.
If you're worried about a colleague, our
I'm Worried About Someone
page explains the warning signs and how to start the conversation. Get in touch at hello@thejordanlegacy.com — we'd be proud to support the people who support us all.
