Auctioneers throughout Scotland are throwing their collective weight behind an RSABI initiative to encourage farmers and crofters to reconnect and get together this winter.

The Winter 2022 #KeepTalking campaign by the charity, which supports people in Scottish agriculture, will again be fronted by Perthshire farmer and comedian, Jim Smith.

This year, RSABI is also looking for local volunteers to help grow the number of venues hosting 'Carols at the Marts' in the coming weeks. A dozen auction markets in Scotland have said they are keen to be involved and host an evening of festive fun and carol singing, building on the successful events run in the past at Forfar, Ayr and Dingwall marts.

Anyone interested in helping to organise a Carols at the Marts event in their locality should email keeptalking@rsabi.org.uk with their contact details and the mart venue they would be keen to help with. The hope is to involve local organisations of all ages including Young Farmers clubs and choirs.

Singing is proven to be very good for mental health and, during its 125th anniversary year, as a thank you to the agricultural community for the support given to it, RSABI is contributing to the cost of a hot drink and snack at each event.

The big message of this year’s #KeepTalking campaign is to encourage people in agricultural communities in Scotland to reach out and reconnect with friends, neighbours, relatives and others who might be feeling isolated this winter.

“Our message is for everyone to #KeepTalking as the nights become darker and longer and, in particular, to think about getting in touch with people of all ages in their communities who may be more vulnerable to loneliness and isolation this winter,” said Carol McLaren, chief executive at RSABI.

“This time of year is traditionally a tough time for farming folk, with mud and cold to contend with and fewer events and opportunities to catch up. And this year, with the additional pressure of cost-of-living worries and general uncertainty, we are particularly keen that people in the agricultural community feel as supported as possible,” she said.

Read more: RSABI encourage people to keep talking

RSABI is launching a series of initiatives this winter to support good mental health in people of all ages involved in farming and crofting, and the #KeepTalking campaign has a key role to play.

“We can all get a bit down at this time of year and this is a fantastic initiative by RSABI to encourage people to reconnect. We are all busy but this initiative encourages us all to stop and take the time to think about others,” said Jim Smith, ambassador of this winter’s #KeepTalkingcampaign.

“Just having a decent blether and getting things off your chest can make a huge difference to how well you can cope with the pressures of life and work. Kindness is so important and just the smallest acts of kindness can make such a difference to the person on the receiving end,” said Mr Smith, who is currently on tour with a string of comedy nights taking place around Scotland.

The campaign is also urging people to look out for signs that someone may be going downhill in terms of their mental health and, if they spot anything of concern, to have the confidence to reach out and check that person is okay.

RSABI’s freephone Helpline – 0808 1234 555 – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and calls won’t show up on phone bills.