AGRICULTURAL students at Kingston Maurward College are set to receive training on how to look after their physical and mental wellbeing.

Although important to the national economy and the conservation of our countryside, farming continues to have the poorest safety record of any occupation in the UK. The Farm Safety Foundation is an independent charity, set up by rural insurers NFU Mutual, which works to encourage young farmers to better consider their health and safety in order to reduce the number of accidents taking place.

Since 2015, the Foundation has delivered its Introduction to Farm Safety training to more than 8,500 students and young farmers at 41 colleges and universities across the country. On Tuesday, November 5, the team will return to Kingston Maurward College.

Stephanie Berkeley, manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, said: "We have a unique opportunity to engage, educate and inspire the new intake of students at Kingston Maurward College to adopt a positive attitude to farm safety which will guide them throughout their careers. Young people with a solid knowledge of safe working practices will have a greater capability to make informed and safe decisions which can only stand the industry in greater stead."

The training will be tailored to students at the college and will cover the UK's most common causes of workplace fatalities and life-changing injuries, including using machinery and working at heights. Accidents will be recreated on the college's working farm and students will be shown how to deal with each emergency situation, as well as considering First Aid implications and preventative measures for the future.

Daniel Sparshott of Kingston Maurward College commented: "This has become one of the key calendar dates in the academic year for our students. As a college, we are committed to ensuring our students take their physical and mental health very seriously and are here to support them every step of the way."

He added: "It’s great to have an outside organisation like the Farm Safety Foundation reinforce the importance we place on farm safety and for our students to face scenarios they could come across on their own farms when they go home or in their future workplace."

For more information on the Farm Safety Foundation visit www.yellowwellies.org