Young farmers are to face the problem of farm safety face on

The mentors are as follows: Robert Smyth, Randalstown YFC, Lynsey McNeilly, Randalstown YFC, Jessica Pollock, Derg Valley YFC, Lynne Montgomery, City of Derry YFC, Jessica Lee, Ballywalter YFC, Stuart Mills, Moneymore YFC, Ian Walker, Collone YFC and Richard Beattie, Finvoy YFC.

YFCU clubs have taken advantage of the farm safety training talks so far and this is set to continue in the future.

During the farm safety talks the mentors highlight the main hazards and risks which continue to impact on the daily lives of our farmers.

The farm safety mentors have also been trained to deliver talks to children of primary and secondary schools.

Speaking on the initiative, Stephanie Berkeley, Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies) commented: “The Farm Safety Foundation is proud of the work we have done over the past two years with the YFCU farm safety mentors.

“We are lucky to have had a group of committed and passionate mentors who have been delivering our Yellow Wellies farm safety sessions at clubs throughout the country and are delighted that this group is growing.

“We had a virtual catch up and training session with new and existing farm safety mentors and we’re confident that the efforts they are putting into raising awareness of looking after the physical and mental well-being of Northern Ireland’s farmers will make a real difference in the future. Farmers are key workers and we need to support them to take safety seriously.”

YFCU president Zita McNaugher commented: “We as an organisation pride ourselves on the work we do with the Farm Safety Foundation to deliver farm safety messages to our members and encourage advocacy for future safety.

“We hope that by delivering these talks, members will pay careful attention to the health and safety rules that govern farming and take these messages home to their parents and siblings to reduce the chance of problems occurring.”

A spokesperson for HSENI commented: “The Farm Safety Mentoring Programme has been a hugely successful scheme whereby highly respected senior members of the Young Farmers’ Clubs deliver important farm safety messages to their fellow members.

“Having these farm safety messages delivered by the young farmers clubs own representatives who are actively involved in the farming industry is invaluable.

“The mentors have been able to bring their own real life practical experience which has enhanced the training with the young farmers.

“We must continue to educate our young farmers in the very real dangers they face when working on the farm in order to prevent very serious and fatal incidents occurring.”

If your young farmers club or organisation would like to host a talk from one of the YFCU farm safety mentors, please contact Corrina at YFCU HQ on 028 9037 0713 or email: [email protected].