Volkswagen supported farmers’ physical and mental health at the 2023 ‘Britain’s Fittest Farmer’ competition hosted by Farmers Weekly.
Emerging victorious after several demanding rounds, Hedi Wilson was named Fittest Farmer for the female under 40 division, John Carlisle for the male under 40 bracket, and Richard Peck in the over 40s mixed category.
The final of the contest featured a gruelling physical assault course designed to test the competitors’ speed, power and mental endurance. Charles Anyan, an arable farmer from Lincolnshire, and Tom Kemp, proprietor of Farm Fitness
, were the judges.
Established by Farmers Weekly in 2018, the annual contest — backed by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles — celebrates the nation’s farming community while championing fitness and mental wellbeing.
With the ongoing mechanisation of farming and its shift towards office-based administrative tasks, maintaining physical health through regular exercise is crucial for farmers. Farming can also be an isolating job, which is why farmers must prioritise their mental wellbeing.
Andrew Meredith, editor of Farmers Weekly, said: “Congratulations to this year’s winners of our Britain’s Fittest Farmer competition. This event helps to shine a light on the challenges that the nation’s farming community currently faces, which includes a mental health crisis. We are thankful for our sponsors, including Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, that amplify awareness of this incredibly important topic.”
Volkswagen’s sponsorship aligns with the brand’s efforts to promote mental wellbeing across all sectors of trade, including its previous #DownTools partnership with Mental Health UK.
“Physical and mental health in any workplace is an incredibly important topic, but particularly so for those working in a key industry, such as farming,” added Laura Bignall, brand and performance manager at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. “We’re proud to sponsor such a great initiative and use the platform we have to raise awareness.”
