Macra has launched a new initiative with the aim of encouraging people to take a break in their busy working days.
The campaign – called ‘Ewe Okay?’ – is part of Macra’s ‘Make the Moove’ mental health initiative, which is supported by FBD and was started by North Tipperary Macra in 2018 to help combat, and raise awareness of, suicide in the farming community.
The Ewe Okay? campaign will take place over the next four weeks and will see packs containing teabags and coasters sent to participants, to encourage people to take some downtime, even when it is busy.
Macra president Elaine Houlihan explained: “This campaign is to encourage people to take a ten minute break from their busy lives to sit and have a chat over a cup of tea with someone.
“Asking for help or confiding about your mental health can always be the hardest part but we at Make the Moove are here to help, so if you need any support feel free to reach out to us,” Houlihan added.
Anyone interested in taking part in Ewe Okay? and who wants to claim a free pack can do so through the Make the Moove social media pages or the Make the Moove website.
Separately, Make the Moove is set to benefit from funding raised by the ‘agri ultra cyclists’, who have just completed the 9 Peak Challenge.
The group raised over €18,000 after 500km of cycling and 75km of hiking. The proceeds will be shared by Make the Moove and mental health service Mindspace Mayo.
The challenge involved cycling to and hiking three peaks, in three different provinces, over three days.
All three days were completed by agricultural business owner Alan Heaney, alongside farmer Pat Murphy from Ardrahan, Co. Galway, and Brendan Barrett, originally from Belmullet, Co. Mayo.
Other cyclists joined in along the way, with the biggest turnout of over 50 participants on the second day, which was known as “industry day”, where staff from agricultural companies were welcome to join the cyclists.