Paula Hynes: Cultivating mental wellbeing in rural Ireland

(Left to right) Pete Hynes, Dr David Meredith, Minister Martin Heydon, Dr Donnla O Hagan and Dr Noel Richardson at the Cultivating mental wellbeing in rural Ireland conference.

With the farm fully organized after our trip to Edinburgh, I had the opportunity to get off the farm for the day with Pete on the Monday after Men's Health Day as he was speaking at the Cultivating Mental Wellbeing In Rural Ireland conference in Portlaoise which was being run by the Department Of Agriculture Food and The Marine in conjunction with the Department Of Health. 

It is good for us to get a spin away this year and with a superb group of speakers, I was keen to listen. Minister Martin Heydon gave the opening address and highlighted the fantastic work being done right across the country to improve mental health awareness in the Ag sector, going on to discuss the On Feirm Ground initiative that has been so successful in equipping frontline agricultural advisors with the knowledge, skills and competencies to engage, support and signpost on health issues.