The Prince and Princess of Wales are teaming up with a mental health charity to help people in a place that has given them comfort during a difficult year; Norfolk.
Prince William, 42, and Kate, also 42, are collaborating with Norfolk and Waveney Mind to boost mental health support and resources for rural and farming communities in the county’s northwest.
Norfolk has long been a comforting place for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who often retreat to their Anmer Hall residence on the Sandringham estate in the East Anglian region during school holidays and when they want to take a break. of their public duties. .
In particular, the extraordinarily intimate clip released by the Waleses when Kate announced she had completed chemotherapy was filmed in the woods around Anmer Hall and also in Holkham Bay, where they also took family anniversary and Father’s Day photos.
The royals will co-fund a new pilot program which will provide additional mental health support to communities in the area, including, but not limited to, those who live and work on the Sandringham Estate.
The new pilot will have the potential to reach the north-west Norfolk community of 1,500, almost half of whom live on the Sandringham Estate.
The pilot program, which will last two years, will officially launch in 2025 and will provide two part-time positions, including a rural mental health coordinator and a counselor.
The announcement comes as evidence suggests a great need for greater mental health support for rural and farming communities across the UK.
The Prince and Princess of Wales have announced a new collaboration with mental health charity Norfolk and Waveney Mind.
Rural isolation and poor mental health are still widespread across the UK and sadly one farmer loses the battle against mental health problems every week.
Sonja Chilvers, interim chief executive of Norfolk and Waveney Mind, said: ‘We are all very aware of the specific mental health challenges faced by people in rural settings, particularly those in the farming community.
‘We are delighted to be working with the Prince and Princess of Wales, who know our north-west Norfolk communities well, and are interested to see the difference this pilot will make to the mental health of local people.
‘Our innovative new partnership will drive proactive outreach and preventative measures for the entire community and will be a vital step in better protecting the wellbeing of local people.
“If successful, it could be used as an example and replicated in other communities and rural properties across the UK.
‘Offering these new services is part of an exciting series of developments for our charity in north-west Norfolk, as we also prepare to launch our new Talking Therapies service from our REST Heacham site, providing free advice for people experiencing anxiety and depression. ‘
As well as boosting local provision of direct, face-to-face counseling and drop-in sessions, the pilot will also run targeted sessions for different members of the community, including parent and toddler groups, menopause and men’s groups.
Prince William, 42, and Kate, also 42, aim to boost mental health support for rural and farming communities in north-west Norfolk (pictured at Pant Farm near Abergavenny in 2022)
The royals will co-fund a new pilot program which will provide additional mental health support to communities in the area, including, but not limited to, those who live and work on the Sandringham Estate (pictured).
These ensure that support is provided in a safe, non-judgmental environment and build supportive relationships between attendees.
The pilot program will also involve implementing mental health training for local employers so that community members can receive better support to take care of their mental health before they reach crisis point.
It is also hoped that the project could become a model for sustainable rural mental health funding, which, if successful, could be extended to other rural estates across the UK.
The pilot follows Prince William’s promise to provide mental health support to tenant farmers on the Duchy of Cornwall estate.
William’s “evolution” of the Duchy of Cornwall was hailed when he launched the new mental health scheme for the estate’s tenants in September last year.
The announcement coincided with the Prince and Princess visiting a farm in Hereford to discuss the importance of prioritizing farmers’ mental health in the farming industry.
Matthew Morris, rural director of the Duchy, said: “So far, Prince William as our new Duke has been an evolution rather than a revolution, however he has been very clear that mental health is one of his priorities.”
During the visit, the royal couple met Sam and Emily Stables, who founded mental health charity We Are Farming Mind three years ago to help struggling farmers deal with the uncertain nature of their work, grief, depression and more.
The royal sat down and spoke to a group of farmers who have benefited from the support of Sam and Emily’s charity.
Prince William and Kate speak to Emily Stables during their visit to the We Are Farming Minds charity at Kings Pitt Farm in Hereford last year.
During the visit, the royal couple met Sam and Emily Stables (pictured with Alfie and the royal), who founded mental health charity We Are Farming Mind three years ago.
Speaking about why they had been inspired to start it, Sam said: “Several years ago I went through a really bad time and made the decision that I don’t want to be here anymore.”
Breaking down into tears, she continued: “I know how difficult the farming industry is and the support I received was incredible.”
“When we moved to Hereford… we realized there was a real lack of mental health support, especially for the farming community, that there was a massive stigma around mental health,” Emily added.
That week it was announced that William will put mental health plans at the center of his approach to leading the Duchy in the future.
“The conversations evolved this year when he said this is a top priority for us to be where we are today,” Morris said.
“His Royal Highness has absolutely led this,” he added, saying: “He looked at me and said, ‘Matt, what are we doing about this?’
The move marks the first significant change from the way his father ran the estate, which generates an annual income of around £24 million for the Prince of Wales’s family.
His new strategy will aim to provide mental health care and support to all tenants of the 130,000-acre estate he inherited following the death of his grandmother.
As well as providing ongoing mental health support to all Duchy tenants, it will also focus specifically on those living in rural and more isolated communities, with the help of the charity We Are Farming Mind.
‘They are so passionate about mental health and so genuine. They want to support us and support British agriculture, what more could you ask for? Sam said once William and Kate left.
“(The Duchy’s new initiative) is huge and I know it will be a fantastic partnership and I hope we can provide tenants with specialist support,” he added.