Awards event teams up with group promoting 'mental health first aid training' in rural areas of Scotland
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A SPOTLIGHT on efforts to improve mental health in rural areas of Scotland will help "tackle one of the leading challenges of our time", it has been claimed.
The Scottish Rural Awards, offering a benchmark of success in Scotland's countryside, has revealed the National Rural Mental Health Forum as its charity partner for SRA 2020.
With a focus on wellbeing in rural parts of Scotland, the charity is considered to be ideally placed to partner the awards which celebrate many aspects of rural life.
Jim Hume, convener of the National Rural Mental Health Forum, said: "The National Rural Mental Health Forum is a unique, innovative, shining example of communities and organisations across rural Scotland collaborating to tackle one of the leading challenges of our time, the mental health and wellbeing of those living in rural Scotland. The Scottish Rural Awards are a celebration of such unique initiatives such as the National Rural Mental Health Forum,.
“The forum was set up to tackle mental health and wellbeing in rural parts of Scotland. It is a unique partnership of over 110 organisations from the private, public and third sectors which focusses on furthering research, informing policy, reduces stigma through various forms of media and events, encourages mental health first aid training and builds resilience in remote and rural communities."
The National Rural Mental Health Forum was set up and is run by the mental health charity Support in Mind Scotland, which has nearly 50 years’ experience in mental health, running services from Golspie to Stranraer and employing 110 people to support up to 1500 individuals every week in Scotland, 80 per cent of whom are in our rural areas.
The Scottish Rural Awards are now in their sixth year and are partnered by Scottish Field Magazine and the Scottish Countryside Alliance.
Richard Bath, editor of Scottish Field, said: "The Scottish Rural Awards go to the heart of Scottish Field’s commitment to showcase the best that Scotland’s countryside has to offer. That is why it has been an enormous pleasure to be a part of an awards that has grown in stature with every passing year.
"Our involvement with the SRA has also been an educational process: judging the awards each year has revealed the extraordinary levels of innovation and energy of the people who live in rural Scotland. In turn, the awards have given those dynamic custodians of Scotland’s rural economy the public recognition which they so richly deserve."
Jamie Stewart of the Scottish Countryside Alliance said: "Land-based businesses contribute over £2 billion to the Scottish economy. Despite the multiple challenges they face, they are hugely valuable brand ambassadors for Scotland, and many provide vital support to their local communities. These awards give Scotland a chance to recognise the resilience, innovation and contribution that rurally-based people and businesses make to its success."
Finalists will be announced at the beginning of December 2019, with winners revealed at the Scottish Rural Awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will take place in spring 2020.
Businesses and individuals can nominate themselves or a friend online at www.scottishruralawards.org
Businesses have until November 4 to put forward their nomination. Businesses can either self-nominate or be nominated by a friend, family member, customer or member of the public.
The full criteria for each award, along with nomination forms, are available on the Scottish Rural Awards website, www.scottishruralawards.org. It is free to enter a nomination.
