Price when sold: £1
APRIL 2024
CANCER HELP IS TO BE BOOSTED
The Farming Community Network (FCN) has launched a new UK-wide partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support – which will help to improve the support available to those living with cancer in rural areas.
As part of this partnership FCN will be working closely with Macmillan Cancer Support, including raising awareness in rural communities of the signs and symptoms of cancer and building referral bridges to and from Macmillan’s services. The move has been made because farmers, farm workers and people living in rural communities can have lower access to cancer services and support due to the nature of their work and rural life in often isolated areas. The organisations said farmers can be particularly at risk of certain types of cancer – such as skin cancer, prostate cancer, or cancers caused by exposure to carcinogens. Cancer can impact a family business that may employ many people and can have significant impacts on an individual and their families, including their housing and extended family situation, or immediate welfare issues for livestock. Dr Jude McCann, chief executive officer of the Farming Community Network, said: “Farmers are an intrinsic part of rural communities, but long working hours and a lack of access to support services can limit opportunities for health checks, and sadly the early signs of cancer may be difficult to identify or missed en-
BY IAIN ST JOHN
tirely. The sooner people can access cancer interventions and support, the sooner they can start their journey to recovery and remission. “As well as encouraging early intervention, through this project we also hope to gather ideas in farming and rural communities on what would improve support for those in farming or in rural communities who are living with cancer. A holistic and tailored approach is necessary for people living in farming communities and rural areas that accommodates their individual needs. “This partnership will create an important bridge between Macmillan Cancer Support and farming support organisations, and has the potential for reaching people with cancer who could otherwise be without support.” Anton Morgan-Thorne, engagement manager at Macmillan, said: “It’s vital that people living with or affected by cancer get the help and support they need at what can be a distressing time in their lives. “This new partnership with FCN will help Macmillan reach people affected by cancer in rural communities who, in the past, have been less likely to engage with us. The partnership will help us provide financial, physical, emotional and practical support to those who are most in need while raising awareness of cancer symptoms, which is vital when you consider the importance of an early diagnosis.” FCN can be contacted in confidence on 03000 111999. The Macmillan Support Line is available on 0808 808 0000.
Jobs point well made!
The 5,500 pairs of wellies on display on the steps of the Senedd
NFU Cymru members created a symbolic display of 5,500 pairs of wellies on the steps of the Welsh Parliament. The move was taken to represent the jobs it forecasts will be lost through the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals unless the plans are changed. The display was put together by farmers on the eve of the closing of the Welsh Government’s ‘Keeping Farmers Farming’ Sustainable Farming Scheme consultation. Farmers across the country united
to gather 5,500 pairs of wellingtons to bring the display to life. The boots will be donated to charities in Africa. NFU Cymru member and display organiser Paul Williams said: “Seeing these 5,500 wellies lined up on the steps of the Senedd is an emphatic depiction of the potential jobs that will be lost to Welsh agriculture if these proposals go ahead in their current guise. “What makes our industry so special is the people and families for whom it’s more than just a job.”
Progress on ‘Buy British’ campaign welcomed A Shropshire MP has welcomed further progress on a campaign to promote British produce. Waitrose and Co-op have become the latest supermarkets to launch ‘Best of British’ sections on their websites. It follows an ongoing crossparty campaign, supported by Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, which called on the nation’s supermarkets to make it easier for consumers to buy homegrown produce. Mr Dunne and 125 other MPs signed an open letter calling on supermarkets to highlight the very best of British produce by implementing a ‘Buy British’ section online. Morrisons, Aldi, Sainsbury’s and Ocado have all launched online sections collating all Britishsourced food and drink since Mr Dunne and other MPs published the open letter. Mr Dunne said: “It’s great to see momentum building in this campaign, with two more supermarkets supporting our campaign for a ‘Buy British’ button online, bringing the total to six major national supermarkets. Consumers want to be able to back British farming, and I commend Waitrose and Co-op for making it easier for them to do so when shopping online. “This was a timely announcement as it coincided with a point I made in Parliament welcoming the government’s positive action to encourage British consumers to buy British food.”
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