Latest news with #KintyreWay
Scotsman
16-07-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Family of Scottish farmer father lost to suicide raise £88k in 100-mile tribute walk
The money will go towards mental health services for those in the agriculture sector. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The family of a farmer from the Borders who took his own life last year have raised £88,000 in a walk in memory of him. Neil Stewart, who farmed in Kelso, tragically died by suicide in June 2024 at the age of 60. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The farmer left behind his wife, Caroline, and their three children, Victoria, Emily, and Charlie. Borders farmer Neil Stewart and Crunchie The family, along with other relatives and friends, walked the Kintyre Way last month, which starts in Tarbert in the north of the Kintyre peninsula and heads to Machrihanish in the south. The trek was in memory of Mr Stewart's death and to raise money for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The charity was set up in 1897 to help the Scottish farming community and their families during a period of agricultural depression. It provides practical, emotional, and financial support to people working in or connected to the Scottish agricultural industry who are facing hardship due to age, illness, accident, or other misfortune. The family's 100-mile challenge raised £74,134.65 for RSABI, with Gift Aid contributions bringing the final total to £88,726.69. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The walk's message also had a particular focus on spotlighting the charity's mental health support, including its 24-hour helpline and free counselling service to encourage farmers not to bottle things up. Last year, RSABI confirmed the service supported 200 calls a month, an increase of 49 per cent more clients compared to the year before. The charity said the walk was also an opportunity for the family and friends to reflect and share fond memories of Mr Stewart. The walk was named '100 for One' as a nod to the length of the walk and his passion for cricket, with 100 being a milestone achievement in the game. Mrs Stewart said: 'We are completely overwhelmed and so deeply thankful for the support we've received throughout this journey. The kindness, encouragement and solidarity shown, along with the amazing donations raised for RSABI, are what kept us going. Being surrounded by friends and family every step of the way meant the world to us. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caroline Stewart and Carol McLaren, of RSABI | RSABI 'The walk was an opportunity to honour Neil, who we miss every day, while raising awareness of mental health within the farming community. If our message has managed to reach just one person and encouraged them to reach out for help, then it has been more than worth it.' Carol McLaren, RSABI's chief executive, said: 'The strength, courage, and determination shown by the Stewart family has been nothing short of inspirational. By bravely sharing Neil's story, they have made a profound difference to the farming community, delivering an incredibly important message that no one in Scottish agriculture should feel alone and that help is available as well as raising over £70,000 in the process, a truly remarkable achievement. 'We are very grateful to everyone who walked, donated, or shared the '100 for One' message. The impact of this collective effort will continue to support and inspire others long after the final mile was walked.' To support the Stewart family's fundraising, donations can still be made via JustGiving at or by texting 100FORONE to 70450 to donate £20. Samaritans is available 365 days a year, day and night, and can be contacted for free on 116 123 or visit
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Farmer's suicide inspires Kelso family prevent further tragedies
In the last months of his life, Neil Stewart's family knew he wasn't in "great fettle" - but he always insisted he was fine. When the 60-year-old cattle farmer took his own life last summer, it was met with shock by the tight-knit agricultural community of the Scottish Borders. Now his widow, Caroline, is leading the family he left behind on a 100-mile memorial walk in a bid to prevent similar tragedies. It comes as new research is undertaken into the causes of the high rate of suicide among farmers in Scotland. Neil's brother Alastair is among those who will be joining the walk along the Kintyre Way to raise awareness of what has been described as farming's silent killer. "We did realise that Neil wasn't in great fettle for the last year of his life, but when you spoke to him, he'd say he was fine," he said."It [his death] was a terrible shock for all of us, as Neil was such a strong guy. "There were signs looking back, but it was not something we ever thought could have happened - and we're all still feeling his loss a year on." There are no up-to-date figures are available for the number of people working within agricultural in Scotland who have either taken, or are suspected of taking, their own Scottish and UK studies, dating back to as early as the 1980s, have suggested that farming had the highest proportion of suicides of all post-pandemic research has found that 88% of young farmers rate poor mental health as the biggest problem of working in Stewart family hope that their walk - in an area where Neil's mother grew up and he enjoyed holidays as a child - will prevent similar deaths. Alastair said: "We're going to have sore knees and ankles at the end of this walk but that is nothing compared to what so many farmers are going through every day."If we can raise awareness of the problem and convince just one person to speak to their partner, their friend or their neighbour, and get the help they need, then it will all be worth it." Although factors such as social isolation, volatile trade markets, turbulent weather and labour shortages are thought to be factors behind the alarming rate of suicides within farming, a comprehensive three-year study has just been commissioned to provide more definitive Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI) and the University of Glasgow will conduct the research across McLaren, CEO of RSABI, said: "Farmers take a huge pride in the job that they do - the way they look after their animals and the way they look after their crops."What they're not so good at doing is looking after themselves."They don't typically reach out and they don't tend to open up - and that's where we get into really challenging territory." As well as RSABI, organisations such as Breathing Space, the Samaritans, the Scottish Association of Mental Health, and Support in Mind Scotland offer free and confidential recent reports suggest there has been a gradual increase in the number of agricultural workers who are picking up the phone or going online for added: "There is help out there and the good news is that more people are now reaching out to organisations such as RSABI."We are hearing more and more from farmers and retired farmers." For more information and support on mental health in agriculture, visit BBC Action Line.
