Rural Support Trust is on a mission to get people off their farms for some time out in Central Otago.

The trust has teamed up with rural mental health advocates Matt Chisholm, Jack Cocks, Tyler Langford and Lana Van Lierop, to bring its popular Time Out Tour to Omakau on Tuesday, April 9.

Each speaker will talk about their own experiences and challenges.

Jack is an Otago high country sheep and beef farmer and a Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme alumni, who will talk about how resilient farmers thrive in the face of adversity.

Tyler and her husband Wayne Langford established YOLO Farmer, following Wayne’s experience with depression.

Their aim was to have lived by the end of every day, adopting a philosophy they could never have envisioned.

Lana, an occupational therapist, has spent the past five years providing mental health support and coaching.

She is passionate about seeing people thrive and teaching practical tools to manage stress and support wellbeing.

Matt, a TV presenter turned local sheep and beef farmer, is also an ambassador for the Rural Support Trust.

Guest speakers will include (clockwise, from left) Jack Cocks, Lana Van Lierop, Matt Chisholm and Tyler Langford. PHOTO: Supplied

He has also had his own mental health struggles and now shares with others how he managed and found a way through.

Otago Rural Support Trust trustee Amy Francis encourages people from outlying areas to attend the tour, where they can listen to the panel of speakers and take time out.

It will also be an evening filled with important and entertaining conversations, providing people with tools to help them improve and maintain their mental health.

She said the aim is to get people away from the farm to give them an opportunity to talk to their neighbours and colleagues.

“Knowing we are all going through the same things at the moment, experiencing the dry and wishing it would rain more. It’s just that opportunity to have that break off-farm and have that human connection and talk to other people,” she said. 

“I think it’s too easy to stay on-farm, we’re entrenched in it . . . it’s easy to not go out and not have a connection with the outside world sometimes.”

The event will take place at the Matakanui Rugby Clubrooms in Omakau on Tuesday, April 9, at 6pm.

“It would be wonderful if we could fill the rugby clubrooms and get everyone off-farm for a night,” Amy said.

To learn more and to register visit the Rural Support Trust.