You are not alone
Many PCC members live in rural parishes and are part of the farming community. YANA (You Are Not Alone) is a mental health charity that has been supporting people working in agriculture and related rural businesses locally for the last 13 years.

We work to improve mental health amongst those working in the sector through:
- Providing a confidential helpline & free counselling;
- Building a better understanding of mental health to reduce stigma and encourage conversations;
- Investing in Mental Health First Aid training;
- Running a national suicide prevention campaign called ‘7 Tractor Facts to Save a Life’.
In 2021 we provided 204 hours of free counselling and received a staggering 80% more calls to our helpline than the previous year. The pressures that farmers and farmworkers are under are well documented and it is no surprise that support services are hearing increasingly about the struggles people face.
If you, or someone you know, feels unable to cope, is feeling down or having thoughts about self-harm or suicide, talking can really help. The helpline number is 0300 323 0400 or email urycyvar@lnanuryc.bet.
People often visit their church in times of trouble even if they are not regular churchgoers. If you would like some leaflets or posters with details of YANA’s helpline to put in your church, please email nqzva@lnanuryc.bet.
YANA will be running more Mental Health First Aid courses in 2022. These are ideal for people who have regular contact with those working in the sector; if you would like to find out more, please visit www.yanahelp.org.
This article is from...
Articles in this issue...

A framework for starting something missional in your parish
The Church is still facing the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. When we think about the uncertain future of our churches we need to remember “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
More
An out of the blue moment
I first became interested in the Anna Chaplaincy movement when my husband and I were studying for a certificate in ‘Older People’s Ministry’ at Cliff College, led by Debbie Thrower, the pioneer of this ministry.
More
My journey
I feel very privileged to be a participant on the Anna Chaplain Training Course and am grateful for our PCC’s support and blessing.
More
Seeds of ministry sown
Our journeys to becoming Anna Chaplains were similar yet different.
More
Before engagement comes motivation
It can be an age old dilemma, how do we get children and young people through the doors of church?
More
New life for waste land
Following major repair works to St Andrew’s Church at Felmingham, situated in a beautiful rural village in North Norfolk, it was a positive time for the Friends of the Church to explore a more ecological approach in the maintenance of the Church and its environment.
More
Parable of wise and foolish builders
The Climate Crisis can seem far away and not something which will affect us here in Norfolk and Waveney very much.
More
Let it grow
St Francis Church, Heartsease, has long been committed to proclaiming the Gospel of Christ through offering loving support and practical assistance to the parish we have been called to serve.
More
Starting from scratch again!
Here at St Andrew’s Eaton (in Norwich), we’d had several attempts at having a church away day, postponed each time by the pandemic.
More
Wild Church, Norfolk
For the last six months Wild Church has been running in an outdoor community space called Loch Neaton. As a Licensed Lay Minister, I head it up, and a new intergenerational community has been growing.
More