From surviving to thriving

Eddie Rixon is a regenerative beef and sheep farmer who manages two family farms across Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. In 2017, a series of devastating events, including the loss of his pedigree herd to TB, an arson attack on his butcher shop and a tragic accident on his farm, triggered a mental health crisis.

"That cascade of events led to me having a mental breakdown," Eddie reveals. "It resulted in my marriage breaking down and two dark years where I was trying to navigate why my life had imploded."

A catalyst for change

Eddie sought help and ultimately reshaped his farm’s future: “A good friend of mine could see that I wasn’t in a good place. He encouraged me to go on a course run by the ManKind Project. I was at a critical junction in life, and it was the catalyst for change that I needed.

"My attention was drawn to how I could reshape the future of the farm. Having metaphorically everything in myself burnt to the ground and being a multi-generational farmer, I passionately wanted to ensure that the farm didn’t just survive for the next generation but thrived."

Embracing a shift in mindset

Eddie was drawn to how he could reshape the farm and diversify, spotting an opportunity to build natural capital. “I realised that we needed to not only regenerate the land but also our communities’ connection with food, farming, and nature.”

The result was Roots and Rhythms, an Innovate UK-funded project, which transformed the approach he takes on farm. The project team used the farm as a ‘living laboratory’, moving Eddie from ‘ego-centric’ to ‘eco-centric’ thinking, helping shape better decision-making for all species on the land while remaining mindful of financial viability.

He is now five years into a 30-year strategy of nature restoration and connection. So far Eddie has created a 30-hectare biodiversity net gain habitat bank, six new ponds, planted 28 hectares of trees for wood pasture, 12 hectares of agroforestry fruit trees and three kilometres of new hedge. He has also opened his farm to the local community.

"A farm really is a perfect landscape for enabling people to deepen their connection with nature," Eddie explains. "It’s actually the depth of connection, rather than just time spent in nature, that makes the biggest difference.

“Farmers manage 70% of the land in the UK, they are perfectly well placed to serve our communities and facilitate nature connection activities.”

His farm now hosts a forest school, a wellness centre offering meditation and breathwork, and a theatre providing dance and drama lessons.

By welcoming people onto the land, Eddie aims to break an outdated image of farmers: "When I was a kid, the iconic figure was Farmer Palmer telling people to ‘get off my land’. We’ve flipped that narrative - our message is ‘get on our land.’"

Connecting with nature

The importance of connecting with nature was echoed by Ellie Sturrock, a Dorset sheep farmer and NHS wellbeing coach, specialising in talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling.

"When people are at their worst, they are stuck in their heads, ruminating on what’s gone wrong," Ellie explains. "Nature draws us out of ourselves.”

But in some cases, for farmers the opposite can be true: “I think it's important we don’t put an expectation on farmers that they're going to find their relief from the environment they work in. Often, it’s a driver for the anxiety or the loneliness they are facing.”

Instead spending time away from the farm, even if it’s just going to the cinema or visiting a friend, can be helpful. However, for those who need further support, Ellie explains there is a range of services available, including NHS talking therapies.

"We can see people in their tractors, on the move. Therapy can fit into their lives in a way that works for them. Farmers don’t have to struggle alone - help is out there."

Eddie echoes the importance of seeking help: “Choosing to confront the trauma I was trying to hide from led me to where I am today, I still regularly talk to the same therapists who helped me.”

Episode Showstoppers

1.       Follow your passions. Try and make time to do the things you enjoy.

2.       Make space. Whether that is being aware and present in the beauty surrounding us or making space for ourselves emotionally. Find a sit spot somewhere we just go to be ourselves for a few moments.

3.       Move from being ego-centric to eco-centric. From thinking about yourself to thinking about the environment and everything around you. Foster a mindset open and aware of what is going on outside us. 

Listen to the full episode and bonus below - also available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Rural mental health and farmer wellbeing support 

These are some of the organisations offering support with mental health and wellbeing:

·       Farming Community Network (FCN FarmWell), call 03000 111 999 or email help@fcn.org.uk

·       RABI, call 0800 188 4444 for free (available 24 hours a day) or email help@rabi.org.uk

·       Mind, call 0300 102 1234

·       Samaritans, call 116 123 for free (available 24 hours a day) or email jo@samaritans.org

·       SHOUT, a free 24/7 text service for mental health support. Text ‘Shout’ to 85258.

·       NHS Talking Therapies (NHS TT) is a FREE short-term psychological therapy service. Find an NHS talking therapies services here. 

  ·   Steps 2Wellbeing (NHS Talking Therapies Dorset and Southampton), call 0800 484 0500

  ·   Talkworks (NHS Talking Therapies Devon)

  ·   NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Talking Therapies 

  ·   NHS Somerset Talking Therapies