Joint Health Check Venture
Farmer Health Checks
“As a volunteer for Shropshire Rural Support, I have been involved for 20 years from a farmers mental health perspective and wanted to explore the connection with physical health and wellbeing.
Eighteen months ago, I spoke to Richard Scofield and his team at the Great Yorkshire Show. Richard is a trustee of and driving force behind the Lancashire Field Nurse. He was extremely helpful, and for that I am very grateful, and advised me to go and see the field nurse in operation at Bakewell market which has been running successfully for 15 years.
My thoughts were ‘can we deliver a similar service in Shropshire’ and raised the question at a Suicide Prevention Action Group meeting of which SRS is a member. Gordon Cochaine who chairs the group put me in touch with Shropshire Councils Outreach team who are keen to reach out into the rural communities. Two members of that team visited Bakewell market with me and were impressed with the success of the health care team there.
The Outreach team have a mobile clinic which has been used for a number of functions, from breast screening to Covid vaccinating. It was decided to run a trial at Shrewsbury Livestock Market and offer simple blood pressure checks. We are very grateful for the help and enthusiasm of Market Manager and Auctioneer Johnny Dymond and the staff at Halls for allowing us to trial health checks in Shrewsbury. We are deeply indebted to Shropshire Council and the members of the Outreach Team who have made this possible.
Starting on 31st January for an initial four weeks we are hoping to extend the trial to other markets within the county. Coupled with the health checks we are hoping to raise £1700 to buy and install a community access defibrillator within the market complex.
Halls have very generously offered to match fund monies that we can raise from market goers and collection buckets will be available on market days for anyone wishing to donate.”
Andrew Bebb
Chairman Shropshire Rural Support
