News.

On Friday 13th February, Edward travelled to London to attend the Mind Your Head reception at the Farmers Club, hosted by The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies).

The event marked the close of this year’s Mind Your Head campaign and welcomed Sam Stables as he completed his extraordinary 142-mile solo walk from Ross-on-Wye Livestock Market to London.

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Sam’s Walk of Hope

Sam undertook the challenge to raise funds for the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs following the Government’s decision to withdraw funding.

His achievement was remarkable:

- 142 miles walked over five days

- £41,000 raised, including a generous £5,000 contribution from The Prince of Wales’s Royal Foundation

- A solo walk to symbolise the isolation many farmers experience

- Greeted at the finish line by three tractors in London, an unforgettable show of solidarity

Young Farmers is not a political movement. It provides young people with opportunities to socialise, develop skills beyond agriculture, and build confidence, resilience and community spirit, values that strengthen rural communities across the country.

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The Mind Your Head Reception

The evening, designed and delivered by The Farm Safety Foundation, celebrated four Mind Your Head Heroes from across the UK who are driving positive change within farming communities and formally launched the new Farming Pledge, an important milestone for the campaign. Edward attended to represent Farm Cornwall and to show support for the Mind Your Head campaign, The Farm Safety Foundation, the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, and the wider farming community. Edward described the event as inspiring and made valuable connections during his time in London.

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Edwards Letter

Before the event, Edward was invited by The Prince of Wales’s Royal Foundation to write to dignitaries explaining the deeper reasons behind Sam’s walk.

His letter outlines the realities currently facing farming families, including:

- Growing isolation in rural communities

- Financial and business pressures, particularly in the dairy sector

- The weight of debt many farms carry

- Intergenerational strain and tenancy insecurity

- The essential role of farm support groups

Edward’s message is clear: public perception does not always reflect the lived experience of farming. Behind the imagery of tractors in London or idyllic landscapes lies a reality of long hours, uncertainty, financial strain and emotional pressure.

Farm support groups are not simply helpful additions to rural life, they are lifelines.

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Please read the full letter below.

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