A rural mental health helpline will go “live” from the New Year, offering more immediate support to farmers and people in isolated communities.

The Norfolk-based YANA (You Are Not alone) charity is launching direct telephone access to improve the support offered by its existing helpline, said chairman of trustees Henry Kilvert.

He told members of Holt and District Farmers’ Club that three part-time staff have been recruited, who will start taking calls in person from January, on weekday mornings.

"We are expanding the service offered by our helpline,” said Mr Kilvert. "Instead of callers leaving a message and then receiving a call back, our team will be able to offer support."

Since YANA was founded 15 years ago in Norfolk, with the initial support of the Clan Trust, it expanded into Suffolk in 2012 and now covers the whole of East Anglia, said Mr Kilvert.

The agricultural industry had seen too many lives lost to suicide, he said, so YANA was launched in 2008, largely through the determined efforts of its patron Melinda Raker.

YANA offers confidential support and free counselling for those in the farming and rural industries.

Mr Kilvert said the charity has trained 370 volunteers to be aware of the warning signs of mental health issues, including depression, social isolation and changes in behaviour.

In the last year 100 people, including land agents and professional advisers, had been trained at a cost of £38,000.

Mr Kilvert said providing practical help and advice was also costly, and YANA has been helped by organisations, farming groups, charities and fundraising.

YANA can be contacted via the helpline 0300 323 0400, yanahelp.org or helpline@yanahelp.org.

A free social event for farmers, Yarn in a Barn, will be held on from 7pm on January 19 at the Norfolk Showground, run by by YANA and Farming Community Network (FCN), including a hog roast and entertainment from comedian John Ryan. For details contact admin@yanahelp.org.