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Farming families are special and unique with their personal lives and homes often closely entangled with the farm business and where every day is a workday.

Because of these entanglements and close connections, bereavement and loss associated with the family farm is beyond devastating. When farm accidents happen, they are often just outside the home, in the yard or a shed or in a field visible from the yard – constant reminders of the trauma experienced by the whole family.

When you have worked beside someone all your life, struggled together when times were hard and celebrated together when farming was on the up, planned together, resolved problems, and supported each other in busy times – when that person is no longer there is a huge void.

When it comes to farm accidents and death by suicide there is trauma, sometimes anger and guilt – all the questions – If only I’d been there? How could I not have noticed? Why did this have to happen?

Pictured are: Gemma Daly – Rural Support Board Chair, Robin Swann - MLA, Veronica Morris – CEO Rural Support, Gillian Reid – Head of Farm Support for Rural Support at the Life Beyond Celebration Event.

On sudden death or farm accident people are naturally overwhelmed and have trouble thinking logically, and if this happens where there is no will then suddenly it can throw a farm business and family into chaos.

Life Beyond – the bereavement and loss service delivered by Cookstown-based Rural Support - helps families to manage their circumstances and their feelings at these times of immense pressure and distress.

It provides a range of support services from Farm Support Mentors who have no agenda, work objectively, and have experience to help look at the position logically and break down the issues, working with the family step by step and in collaboration with trauma and bereavement counsellors when the time is right.

The level of support needed varies significantly as no two circumstances are the same and the challenges are different. The services provided are tailored to meet the needs of the individual family and their situation.

Do you think you could benefit from the services of Life Beyond?

If you or someone you know would benefit from the Life beyond Programme or from speaking to a Rural Support team member, please ring the support line which is confidential and is available 9am-9pm, Monday to Friday (voicemail and options available at all other times). The freephone number is 0800 138 1678.

Life Beyond – support for farming families in times of loss