Farming Fit initiative is an outreach service tailored to the “specific health and social wellbeing needs of the farming community in Powys”, according to the organisers. 

It offers farmers blood pressure checks, smoking cessation advice, mental health support, information on screening, and vaccinations. 

The initiative has been available to farmers at 44 different livestock and agricultural events across Powys over the past year and has recorded “2,800 health-promoting engagements”. 

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It has “undertaken 766 health checks” at these events, with 97 farmers being advised to contact their local pharmacy or GP to follow up for further health support. 

Powys councillor Richard Church said the “feedback from the farming community has been overwhelmingly positive” and the stats show “we're making a real difference”. 

"Farming Fit has proven that meeting people where they are - on farms, at markets, and at shows - can break down barriers to accessing health support,” he added. 

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Powys public health executive director Mererid Bowley said she’s pleased the health initiative “offering opportunistic health promotion and screening” has been “well received by the community”. 

She added: "We know that the farming industry can be very demanding, with the farming community working long and antisocial hours which means they often have difficulties accessing traditional health and wellbeing services.” 

Farming Fit was launched in partnership between Powys County Council (PCC), Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB), and Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) at the Royal Welsh Show in July 2024. 

It returned to the Royal Welsh Show, a livestock event with entertainment, last week and is already scheduled at another 19 events until the end of the year. 

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It comes as a ‘teleconsultation’ dispensing machine with pre-loaded medication is being trialled in rural north Wales for those in urgent need of medication when a community pharmacy is closed. 

Earlier this month, Knights Pharmacy announced it will use an eight-figure funding package from HSBC to acquire pharmacy branches from Avicenna Retail in “key community locations across the Rhondda, Cynon Valleys and others” in south Wales.