An award-winning short film shot in Dorset was given a London premiere as part of a new campaign highlighting mental health in the farming community.
As part of the annual Yellow Wellies, Mind Your Head campaign 2024, there was a showing of Wake - an independent British short film exploring the aftermath of suicide in a farming family.
It was filmed near Shaftesbury in 2022 and stars Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey), Louisa Clein (Emmerdale) and Mark Frost (Poldark). The project won seven awards including Best Short Narrative at the London International Filmmakers Festival.
Filming locations include The Baker Arms pub in Child Okeford, Manor Farm in Melbury Abbas and Melbury Beacon National Trust spot.
It was shown on the first day of the campaign in Covent Garden on Monday followed by a Q&A with the director and members of the cast.
Discussing the film, director, and writer Rebecca Rose, said: “It raises awareness of the under-reported social issue of mental health and suicide in the seemingly idyllic countryside setting and how simple conversations about feelings can start a process to prevent the downward spiral toward the finality of suicide.”
The Mind Your Head campaign from The Farm Safety Foundation runs from February 12-16, uniting more than 300 farming organisations and charities across the UK.
Research carried out by the Foundation in September 2023, revealed 95% of young farmers agreed that poor mental health is one of the biggest hidden dangers facing the industry.
The campaign aims to break down the stigma attached to poor mental health and illustrates positive steps to address the issue in the farming industry.
A spokesperson from the Farm Safety Foundation said: "We were delighted that Rebecca decided to release this film for day one of our Mind Your Head campaign. This year's campaign comes at a time when there is growing unrest in the industry across the UK.
"Plus there have been ten named storms since September - those storms have hit Dorset farmers hard…fields flooded, crops destroyed, animals in danger and more financial uncertainty. All of this is impacting on the mental health of farmers in Dorset and across the UK. As an industry we need to remember that there is no shame, no stigma but there is and should be more support."
More information about the campaign can be found at https://www.yellowwellies.org/
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