Dozens of farmers take advantage of drop-in health checks at Melton market

The service, which finishes at the end of this month, was launched by the Farming Community Network (FCN) in collaboration with Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) using registered nurses.

Farmers and farm workers have been offered blood pressures checks, finger prick tests for cholesterol and blood sugar levels and an opportunity to talk about any other health concerns they might have.

The scheme has been deemed a success and it is hoped it will continue after the trial period ends.

Heather Dawes, an LRSN nurse who was working with the service today (Tuesday), told the Melton Times: “Up to last week we had 95 people visit us since we started, which averages about at eight to 10 each week.

“Farmers have traditionally put animals before their own welfare.

“It is difficult for them to get a doctor’s appointment during the day because of the hours they work.

“So the idea of all this is to bring healthcare to the farmers and it has gone really well.”

The health checks have been offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays since April.

The cost of living crisis and soaring energy bills have added to the challenges the farming community has had to deal with.

More automated ways of working mean the job is sometimes not as physically active as it once was.

Heather added: “Farmers are more stationary in their work than they used to be, they don’t lift hay bales anymore for example.

“Many farmers are in their late 50s, 60s and others are 75 and they are still farming so they tend to have more health issues.

"It helps that it’s a drop-in service and we just welcome farmers in with their muddy boots on market day.

"We give them all kinds of advice as well, particularly with regards to skin cancer, telling them to wear hats and not have their ears sticking out.

“We are looking for diabetes, raised cholesterol and we can talk to them about any health issues they want to raise.”

She added: “We hope to continue the service after this pilot has ended – we’ve been putting in grants for it and there is definitely a need for the service."

FCN provides practical and pastoral support to the farming community and has over 400 volunteers throughout England and Wales, including a local County Group in Leicestershire and Rutland.

The organisations has had a presence at the market since 2016 and is closely embedded within the farming community

The Melton pilot, which was part-funded by NFU Mutual, follows a similar initiative run by LRSN at Louth Cattle Market and Spalding Auction.

One of the FCN volunteers working on the Melton health checks is Susan Atkinson, of Old Dalby, who was heavily involved in farming with her husband before their retirement.

She said: “One of the biggest problems is isolation.

"They used to have at least one farm worker helping but often they are now working on their own.

“Anxiety and depression can often develop when they have no-one to chew the fat with during the working day.”