A NEW initiative has been launched that uses Virtual Reality (VR) to raise awareness and understanding of mental health in UK agriculture.

The innovative VR educational experience has been developed by three Suffolk doctors to address the growing mental health crisis among the UK’s farming communities.

The Rural Minds Project uses immersive VR storytelling to highlight the lived experiences of farmers and rural workers.

It has been created by Dr Jordan Tsigarides from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and GPs Dr Daniel James and Dr Richard West, in collaboration with Cambridge-based creative technology company Revolve Labs.

Poor mental health remains one of the most pressing issues in UK agriculture. The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution’s (RABI) Big Farming Survey (2021) found that 36 per cent of farmers are “probably or possibly” depressed, 47 per cent report constant anxiety, and only eight per cent of women and 12 per cent of men describe their mental wellbeing as good.

The Farm Safety Foundation also reports that 95 per cent of young farmers believe mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing agriculture today.

Through immersive 360° filming and interactive VR experiences, Rural Minds places users directly into the everyday realities of farming life; exploring the challenges of financial strain, weather dependency, isolation, and generational pressure.

The project aims to build understanding and empathy among healthcare professionals, policymakers, and rural organisations, while encouraging open dialogue about mental wellbeing with farmers themselves.

Dr Tsigarides, Rheumatologist and Chief Medical Officer at Revolve Labs, and a Senior Research Fellow at UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “The Rural Minds VR experience allows you to step into the boots of a farmer struggling with his mental health and truly shines a light on this difficult topic.

“As doctors, our training doesn’t emphasise the unique challenges that the agricultural community face, leaving us ill-prepared to identify and support those in need. This project hopes to change that by raising awareness, improving understanding, and ultimately saving lives through connection and support.”

James Forrest, Chairman of the Felix Thornley Cobbold Agricultural Trust, said: “The Trust are proud to support this most worthwhile initiative. There has rarely been a time in recent farming history where mental health has been such a concern. The timing of this project could not have been more appropriate.

“If Rural Minds can help train the medical profession to better recognise symptoms in patients, or encourage someone that is experiencing mental health problems, to seek help, then all the hard work and effort that has gone into the initiative will have been well worthwhile. Often the most difficult step for anyone suffering is to ask for help in the first place, which can take great courage.”

The resource will be free to access and for those with headsets, such local Integrated Care Boards, the content can be loaded onto them for use with GPs. There is also an online version that can be used on a browser for those without headsets.