Successful Big Lunch event held at Ballymena Livestock Market

The event provided an opportunity to recognise the hard work of rural communities and encourage farmers to take time to look after their health.

Those in attendance had an opportunity to visit a pop-up barber shop, enjoy some neck and shoulder treatments and avail of blood pressure checks from the Farm Families Health Checks Programme.

Explaining more, Yvonne Carson, Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager at the Northern Health and Social Trust, said: “We realise that farmers work long and hard to provide high quality food for our tables and we want them to know how much we value them, so this event was really about giving something back.

“We have previously hosted a successful collaboration like this at the Livestock Market and we were delighted to once again have a pop-up barber in attendance, along with our colleagues from the Farm Families Health Checks Programme and complementary therapist Marlene Marcus providing neck and shoulder treatments.”

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the Farm Families Health Checks Programme, along with other farming industry leaders, are members of the NI Agri- Rural Health Forum.

Its focus for the year ahead is on blood pressure checks, with Senior Nurse Helen McAuley on hand at the Big Lunch to raise awareness.

She commented: “Getting your blood pressure checked is easy and only takes a few minutes but it is really important.

“It can identify undiagnosed and uncontrolled high blood pressure which usually has no symptoms but causes damage to our blood vessels.

“I would encourage everyone to know their numbers and have a regular blood pressure check, so that, if required you can access advice and treatment.”

Roberta Moody, owner of the Ringside Café added: “Our last event was a great success and was talked about for a long time afterwards in the mart.

“It was great to run the Big Lunch with the other contributors, and I hope all those who were with us on the day enjoyed taking part.”