YANA & Ben Burgess partnership

Pictured L to R: Sophie Bambridge, Ambassador for YANA, and Hollie Cruickshank, Group Marketing Manager for Ben Burgess.

YANA & Ben Burgess partnership

Local agricultural machinery dealership, Ben Burgess, has partnered mental health charity YANA to help raise awareness of the charity’s work.

Ben Burgess, East Anglia’s John Deere dealer, operates a hire fleet of 120 tractors from its head office in Norwich and will be adding YANA stickers to all hire machines.

Sophie Bambridge, Ambassador for YANA, 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.”

Samaritans’ trained volunteers man the confidential helpline and the fully funded counselling which can be put in place within a few days continues by phone or video during the restrictions imposed by Covid 19. In 2018 YANA funded 100 hours of counselling which increased to almost 400 hours last year. YANA are also funding two-day Mental Health First Aid courses for those in the rural sector. The 96 strong YANA Army of MH First Aiders, representing Young Farmers, CLA, NFU, FCN, RABI, agricultural colleges, grain merchants, land agents, rural police and churches, now have the skills and confidence to support and signpost colleagues, friends and family who might be suffering with poor mental health.

Hollie Cruickshank, Group Marketing Manager for Ben Burgess, commented, “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.”

Ben Burgess will also be providing YANA stickers to new tractor owners to encourage the local farming community to use them on their vehicles.

1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a problem with their mental health at some point in their lives so it is important for everyone to understand, You Are Not Alone. You can contact the YANA helpline on 0300 323 0400, email johoey@yanahelp.org if you would like to sign up for a Mental Health First Aid course. Donations can be made via www.yanahelp.org.