TV's Yorkshire Vet backing mental health campaign

Julian Norton says he has witnessed the struggles of working in isolated communities firsthand

Veterinary surgeon and TV personality Julian Norton has backed a North Yorkshire campaign aiming to improve mental health support for men feeling isolated.

The Shift Your Focus project, which forms part of a wider £7m York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority investment, will see local groups bid for a share of £715,000 to support mental health projects.

Norton is known for his appearances on Channel 5's The Yorkshire Vet, a series following the work of vets treating animals across North Yorkshire.

Discussing issues he has witnessed in agriculture, he said: "The size of North Yorkshire - England's largest county - and the fact that farmers often work alone can leave them feeling cut off."

Norton said he has struggled in the past to talk about pressures on his own mental health.

"I think it's the way we're brought up, the stiff upper lip," he said.

"I'm better now but it's an area that needs a bit of work, I think."

Recent research from the charity Farm Safety Foundation suggested 95% of young farmers believe poor mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing the industry.

In North Yorkshire, the Healthwatch watchdog recently found many farmers struggled to take time off due to work demands and prioritised it over their health and wellbeing.

Norton added: "Veterinary work can be quite lonely too. You visit solitary farmers with their animals, 30 minutes of driving in between, not much chance to chat.

"Fewer people are employed in farming now and if you don't get the chance to discuss the issues things get bottled up."

In North Yorkshire, recent research suggested farmers were prioritising work demands over their own wellbeing

"I remember very clearly going to lamb a sheep on a gloomy, rainy February afternoon," Norton said.

"The job of lambing was fairly straightforward, but I was chatting to the farmer for about 45 minutes - I could just tell it was an outpouring of emotion."

Norton continued: "He was saying how difficult lambing time was, how difficult it was renting the farm.

"All those problems had been bottled up for days. My job that afternoon wasn't so much delivering the lamb, as offering a shoulder to listen to those problems."

Announcing the funding over summer, regional mayor David Skaith said: "By taking a lead, we can directly tackle rural isolation and health inequalities - issues that York and North Yorkshire particularly struggle with."

North Yorkshire mayor David Skaith was given a woodwork lesson at York Men's Shed

Skaith recently visited York Men's Shed, a project in the city set up to offer men somewhere to get together, learn new skills and open up.

Peter Doherty said he was encouraged to join the project by his wife after he retired and the couple moved to York.

"It's rewarding - if you can help somebody it gives you both a boost," Mr Doherty said.

Stuart Crossland said he joined the project because he needed "something to do".

"You can't stay in the house staring at four walls," he said.

"Mental health didn't exist when I was young, you just had to get on with it. Now you can speak to anyone - it's important."

Speaking in July, Lynne James, manager of York-based mental health charity Mainstay, said she supported the allocation of funding but had "reservations" about how it would be distributed.

"Within rural communities, I think it's going to be more difficult," she said.

• The BBC's Action Line pages can provide support for people affected by a range of issues

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