A FARMER from Yelvertoft is taking to the screen as part of a charity’s national mental health campaign.
Milly Fyfe, a food and farming ambassador from the village, has made her acting debut as the wife of a farmer struggling to deal with his mental health in a social media film for Mind Your Head, an annual awareness campaign from the Farm Safety Foundation (FSF).
The FSF – better known to some as Yellow Wellies – and video producer Luc Edwards spent a day filming the one-minute video on Milly’s farm in the village.
They also enlisted her husband Andrew to consult on the correct use of machinery featured in the film.
The clip, which shows Milly chatting to her on-screen husband, was shot in the family’s kitchen – lending authenticity to the short film.
Milly said: “Being part of the brand new Mind Your Head campaign video is very exciting.
“It’s a privilege to be able to support my friends at the Farm Safety Foundation and help to chip away at the stigma attached to poor mental health in the industry.
“I’ve worked with the team before in their 2020 campaign but we were happy to offer the farm as a filming location for this year and it’s always an honour to be involved.”
FSF Manager Stephanie Berkeley said: “It is wonderful to have special ambassadors like Milly supporting us. We are a small charity with big ambitions and this campaign comes at a time when 92 per cent of farmers under the age of 40 rank poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today.
“We’re launching the fifth annual Mind Your Head week on February 14 – Valentine’s Day. A day which celebrates love and togetherness but one that can often highlight how different, alone or low we feel – so our message is that it’s important to check in with yourself and others and reach out to those who may be feeling down, lonely or struggling.
“Whatever it is that you choose to do, just know that your mental health should never be ignored and you are not alone.”
The film, entitled Ask Twice, can be seen in full at 11am today (Monday February 14). Search @yellowwelliesUK or #MindYourHead on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Visit www.yellowwellies.org for more information on the Mind Your Head campaign, or to learn more about how the Farm Safety Foundation is tackling the issue of poor mental health in the agricultural industry.
