Those attending Thainstone Centre next Friday will be offered the opportunity to have their blood pressures checked as part of a new Health Hut pilot project.
Scottish agricultural charity RSABI and ANM Group have teamed up together to launch the new Health Hut which will launch at the Thainstone Spectacular show and sale on Friday August 18.
Nurse Irene Scott, will join RSABI staff at the hut to be located at the main entrance of the mart, and farmers will also be able to confidentially discuss any other health concerns they may have.
Irene, who is a practice nurse and lives on a farm in Fife, has been working with RSABI at recent events to trial the best approaches to delivering this support to people in agriculture.
The new project is one of a range of initiatives RSABI is undertaking to encourage people working in agriculture to take steps to look after their physical and mental health.
Other motives include Mental Health First Aid training across the country, a Thrive app being trailed with three young farmers clubs and the #KeepTalking campaign to encourage people to look out for each other.
“Farm businesses can be very complex and with long working hours and uncertain weather conditions, too often farmers and others working in agriculture can neglect their health and put off arranging medical checks,” said Carol McLaren, chief executive of RSABI.
“We hope the Health Hut pilot will be successful and can grow to be rolled out across the country, bringing health and wellbeing expertise to markets and other hubs in the farming community so busy farmers can access services like blood pressure, cholesterol and other checks. We are delighted to be working with the ANM Group to take this forward.”
Research by SRUC and Stirling University published in June this year found that farmers are likely to focus primarily on looking after the livestock and upkeep of the business side of the farm.
Looking after themselves and their own health comes second.
Grant Rogerson, chief executive of ANM Group, said: “Projects like this offer great support to individual farmers and with the Thainstone Centre being at the heart of the farming community in the north-east and across Scotland, it is an ideal location for the Health Hut.
“We would encourage all members, customers and visitors to make the most of the Health Hut in the coming weeks and months.”
The Health Hut will be present at Thainstone sales on the following dates of August 18, September 22, October 13, November 27/28, January 5 and February 28.
