The ‘Scrambling for YANA’ egg and spoon relay in memory of Patrick Joice will start in Norfolk and end at the British Pig and Poultry Fair on May 10.
The NFU’s poultry team is leading the effort to raise money for rural mental health charity YANA (You Are Not Alone). The egg and spoon relay will cover over 130 miles, starting at Patrick’s family farm in Norfolk and ending at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
The event is taking place between May 5-10 in memory of Patrick Joice, a former NFU poultry board member and Poultry Industry Programme (PIP) chair.
Patrick suffered from depression following the diagnosis of a rare cancer, which claimed his life in 2019.
Throughout his illness he was committed to increasing awareness around mental health as well as raising £53,000 for YANA, which provides mental health support in East Anglia and Worcestershire for farming communities.
Patrick’s family will launch the relay from their North Norfolk farm, starting on Thursday, May 5, and the challenge will conclude at the British Pig and Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh Park on the morning of Tuesday, May 10.
The route
Friday, May 6 – 33 miles
South Raynham to Wisbech
Saturday, May 7 – 31 miles
Wisbech to Wansford (through Peterborough)
Sunday, May 8 – 33 miles
Wansford to Great Oxenden (near Market Harborough)
Monday, May 9 – 30 miles
Great Oxenden to Stareton (near Coventry)
Tuesday, May 10 – 4 miles
Stareton to Stoneleigh Park
NFU chief poultry adviser Aimee Mahony said: “Patrick sadly passed away in 2019 and we wanted to carry on his legacy, raising awareness about mental health in farming. The route for the relay will take us across approximately 130 miles – ambitious but suitably challenging, just as Patrick would have liked it.
“We are fulfilling sections of the journey with volunteers from across the poultry industry, many of whom knew Patrick or have benefited from the PIP, which Patrick was a big driving force behind. I would like to encourage as many people as possible to donate what they can to this worthy cause, take part in the relay itself or come along the route to support.”
NFU Poultry Board chair and PIP chair James Mottershead added: “This is a chance for the rural community to come together to raise awareness of mental wellbeing and champion those amazing charities such as YANA which provide vital support.
“It is also a chance for all those who knew Patrick to remember and celebrate the man he was and what he achieved during such a difficult part of his life.
“Patrick promoted the importance of talking about mental health. We must continue that open dialogue in honour of him and to help the many others who are dealing with mental illness every day.”
If you’d like to donate to the YANA fundraiser, please click HERE.
