NHSCT and UFU Ballyclare host ‘breakfast and a blether’ for farm families

The event, also attended by local industry leaders, provided a valuable opportunity for farmers to come together to chat and enjoy a cooked breakfast.

With farming not only a busy and demanding occupation but often a lonely one too, opportunities to meet up in rural areas have steadily declined over the years, the Trust said, with a gradual decrease in the number of social outlets where farming and rural dwellers can connect.

Yvonne Carson, the Northern Trust’s Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager explained: “As a large rural Trust, we are committed to our rural communities, many of whom are farming families. As well as bringing families together, the event also celebrated the hard work farmers do to produce our food and protect the countryside we all enjoy.”

Ian Kernohan, Senior Group Manager, UFU Ballyclare Group added: “We were delighted to partner with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in this initiative. It was good to see our local farm families meet up socially with friends and neighbours over breakfast and have a chat.”

Commending the Northern Trust’s ongoing support for the rural community, UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy said: “We are delighted to be working with Yvonne and the Trust again. Their support is much appreciated by our UFU members and it was great to be at the ‘Breakfast and a Blether’ event.”