Leading British ingredients supplier, Beacon Foods, has thanked its customers for responding to a survey by donating to a charity that supports mental health and wellbeing in the farming community.

The multi-award-winning business, based in Brecon, pledged to make a charitable donation for every customer survey response it received.

True to their word, Beacon Foods presented £2,050 to We are Farming Minds, a registered charity that raises mental health awareness in the rural communities of Herefordshire and supports the wellbeing of farmers.

“Farming is hard,” says the charity. “Isolation, long hours and pressures outside of your control can cause anxiety and depression. But while poor mental health in farming is 46% higher than in other occupations, rural communities have less access to support. We aim to change that.”

For more information about Farming Minds, visit https://www.wearefarmingminds.co.uk/ .

Donna Gough from Beacon Foods said: “Fantastic support from our customers enabled us to make a donation to Farming Minds who do incredible work supporting mental health across the farming community, an industry that sits at the heart of everything we do.“Thank you to all the customers who took the time to complete the survey and help make this possible.”

Fenella Harris, We are Farming Minds’ marketing and client relations manager, said: “Support like this is incredibly important to us. The contribution from Beacon Foods and their customers will directly support our ongoing work with Young Farmers Clubs across Herefordshire, through a series of boxing sessions delivered in partnership with The City of Hereford Boxing Academy.

“These sessions are designed to combine physical activity with mental wellbeing, creating a space where young people feel comfortable, connected and supported. Alongside this, we are introducing Mental Health Mentors within each club and providing them with training to help recognise the signs of someone struggling and how best to respond.

“We recognise that not every young person feels able to speak to someone older or in a formal setting, so having peer-to-peer support from someone of a similar age, often a friend, can make a real difference.

“Young farmers are the next generation of our farming communities and if we can encourage more open conversations around mental health at this stage, it’s a huge step in the right direction. This is such an important area for us to focus on as a charity.”

Established in 1993, Beacon Foods is the UK’s leading specialist producer of garlic, ginger and chili puree, roasted and chargrilled vegetables and fruit ranges, relishes, chutneys, sauces, soups, confit and fruit compotes.

The ingredients go into thousands of products, including sandwiches, ready meals, pizzas, soups, drinks and desserts, which can be found on supermarket shelves, airlines, restaurant chains and coffee shops.