ERYRI and Ynys Môn Young Farmers held an evening to raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing at the Victoria Hotel, Menai Bridge.

Wellbeing and mental health is a hard subject to talk about but the YFC felt it was something that needed to be done to raise more awareness of it amongst members, past members and friends, especially in the rural and agricultural community.

Lead by Dafydd Jones, Wales YFC chairman; Alun Elidyr, Cae Coch, Meirionnydd, and Stephen Hughes from Cardiff but originally from Bwchanan, spoke about their experiences of mental health.

As well as a talk by the guest speakers, a charity auction was held to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance, Mind Ynys Môn a Gwynedd, and both YFC federations under the experienced team from Morgan and Evans.

“Raising awareness about wellbeing and mental health is very important to us, especially with the agricultural sector losing at least one person to mental health weekly,” said Miriam Williams, Eryri county chairman. “We have to be proactive in spreading the message that there is always someone there to speak to.”

Non Williams, Ynys Môn county chairman added: “I think we held a special evening to raise awareness and funds in a social way to try to break the stigma of talking about mental health.”

Eryri and Ynys Môn YFC will now share £2,000 between Wales Air Ambulance, Mind Ynys Môn a Gwynedd and both federations.