Angela Cushnie was a flood recovery co-ordinator in Mid Canterbury last year; this year’s project has been organising the Nominate a Farmer: Warm Up Winter initiative.
“Through my previous role as flood recovery co-ordinator last year we started a Mid Canterbury Farmy Army Facebook page.
“With all the wet and snowy weather we have been experiencing I decided to muster up a campaign to remind farmers and farm workers to look after themselves, get off farm and stay connected,” Cushnie said.
“We called for nominations to win a voucher to the Opuke Thermal Pools (Methven) and it was great to see the number of people who engaged.
“We then got a sponsor on board so it grew into a week-long focus with three vouchers each day being drawn out of a hat.
“A big thanks to all those wonderful people who took the time to nominate a friend, family member, farm worker, boss, or generally someone they knew would love a soak in the pools.
“We had over 200 nominations and lots of gratitude.”
Catalyst Performance Agronomy was a major supporter of the flood recovery commitment last year and stepped up again this year given they fully appreciate how trying the conditions were for those working on the land.
This campaign had multiple objectives:
Reminding people about the importance of staying connected, especially during busy periods like calving and lambing.
Take time to get off farm, even if it is just for a couple of hours.
Encouraging people to get in touch with someone they know is under the pump.
Remind people about the key wellbeing messages and give them some contact options if they do want to talk to someone.
Promote Rural Support Trust.
Promote Craig Wiggins’ Lean on a gate and talk to a mate campaign.
“Overall we had 17 winners,” Cushnie said.
“It was such a success and there were some pretty happy farmers floating around in those pools”.

• By Pat Deavoll