Herefordshire charity We are Farming Minds will benefit from a share of £51,000 from their successful inaugural race day at Hereford Racecourse.
The Richard Layton Charity Raceday – named after the Bodenham farmer who ended his own life in March 2023 – was held at the racecourse on November 27.
Fund-raising figures have now been tallied and the charity will divide the sum with two other organisations who combined on the day – Midlands Air Ambulance and the Injured Jockeys’ Fund.
The family of Mr. Layton were in attendance at the race meeting and were interviewed by former BBC racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght about the impact the farmer’s passing has had, as well as their determination to provide more opportunities for those in farming who need help.
Mr. Layton’s son George said: “We want to spread the message as far and wide as we can that people need to talk, share a beer, have a laugh, and spend time with friends to keep everybody safe.
“Farming can be a very lonely career, where people spend time on tractors with no-one to talk to.
“So, we need to take opportunities whenever we can to get together with friends and talk.”
Friends of the Layton family have also been lending their support in recent months and many attended a lunch at the racecourse in support of We are Farming Minds.
Sixteen tables, catering for 160 people, helped to swell the fundraising total.
The decision to choose horse racing as the method to spread charity’s message went under the title: Making Mental Health the Front Runner.
Mr. Layton’s daughter Lily said: “We are Farming Minds is a charity based here in Herefordshire that provide mental health support specifically for famers and rural people.
“They hold social events to try and counter loneliness and isolation as well as counselling sessions and other forms of very valuable support.”
Hereford Racecourse has previously held charity race days to support organisations involved with former military personnel, but this was the first time a charity from the farming world had been a chosen partner.
Hereford Racecourse general manager Camilla Esling believes the link up proved beneficial for both parties.
“I think it really helped us at the racecourse as a reminder of who our core audience really is – people who have some connection to the countryside and to farming,” said Ms Esling.
“We are Farming Minds means something very significant to the people of Herefordshire and so when people at the racecourse support the charity, they know their generosity is going to mean something to their local community.”
Building on the success of the day, Hereford Racecourse are now planning to host another charity race day with We Are Farming Minds in the autumn of next year.
Ms Esling added: “The energy and drive of the charity – and in particular, that shown by the Layton family of Marie-Louise, George and Lily – was very inspiring for everyone.
“It really resonated at a time when there are lots of challenges in the farming community, so we were very glad to be able to bring people together to help raise funds.”
If you are a Herefordshire farmer or you are concerned about someone you know and want someone to talk to, you can call the We Are Farming Minds 24/7 helpline on 0808 802 0070 or text 07786 203130
