A PROJECT launched to asses the level of stress among farmers has received £1,500 worth of funding.
Stresscare — set up by Caroline Keane, and Farm Crisis Network have joined forces to try and help ease the difficulties faced by the agricultural community.
West Devon Borough Councillor Mrs Keane said the project has received £1,000 from the Community Council of Devon and £500 from West Devon Borough Council.
'It was set up to assess the stress of the farm community and farmers themselves,' she said. 'Farm Crisis Network make the contact and if farmers are experiencing problems relating to stress they will pass it on to me at Stresscare.
'We have a network of rurally based highly qualified stress counsellors that will help.
'Farmers are loners. They are not people who ask for help. They find it difficult to ask for help so they feel isolated.
'This can create stress and subsequent disfunction in the family. The problem can have a knock-on effect like the ripples from a pebble in a pond.'
She said this joint project had the support of John Burnett, MP for West Devon and Torridge, and himself a former farmer.
'This is about setting up a service which farmers can avail themselves of in total confidentiality.'
Mrs Keane said the Tavistock and Okehampton Citizens' Advice Bureau may be able to offer an office at their premises. It would allow people to visit in confidence and also where there is further support for financial and any other problems that might arise.
'This is covering a broad spectrum and seeking to address the difficult criteria that leads to stress in the first place.'
She said that Business Information Point helped to set up the association between Stresscare and Farm Crisis Network.