A Norwich-based farm machinery supplier has teamed up with a mental health charity to help raise awareness of its vital work within the farming community.

Ben Burgess, East Anglia’s John Deere dealership, will be adding stickers promoting YANA (You Are Not Alone) onto the 120-strong hire fleet of tractors it operates from its head office on Trowse. The company will also provide YANA stickers to new tractor owners.

YANA ambassador Sophie Bambridge said: “We’re hugely appreciative to Ben Burgess for their help and support. YANA offers confidential mental health support to rural communities in Norfolk, Suffolk and Worcestershire so having a regional company getting behind us will help us reach out to more people and spread the word about what we do.”

YANA funded almost 400 hours of counselling last year, and the charity also funds two-day mental health first aid courses which have so far trained 96 rural professionals to recognise the signs of poor mental health among colleagues, friends and family, and to direct them to the right support.

READ MORE: Mental health debate seeks ways to ease the ‘silent suffering’ of farmersHollie Cruickshank, group marketing manager for Ben Burgess, said: “We support a number of local charities in various ways and are pleased to be able to help raise awareness for such an important cause. We hope that by putting the YANA name on our machines, we can get more people aware of what they do and how they can help.”

• YANA offers confidential mental health support and counselling for those in farming and rural industries in Norfolk and Suffolk. Contact the helpline on 0300 323 0400 or visit the YANA website. To sign up for a mental health first aid course, email johoey@yanahelp.org.