'Our Drive to Remember' - Embrace FARM #WeRememberYou Tractor Drive for #FarmSafety
Embrace FARM, the farm accident support network founded by Brian and Norma Rohan, will embark on its next journey shining a light on those who have lost their lives or have been seriously injured in farming accidents and for farm safety awareness, by driving a tractor around the 32 counties of Ireland this autumn.
A tractor donated by WR Shaw of Tullamore and driven by volunteers from Macra Na Feirme and the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster will touch the grass roots of each county during its drive.
Mairead McGuinness MEP will launch Our Drive to Remember at 1pm on Sunday (August 12) at Tullamore Show at the WR Shaw stand.
The finish of the drive is on the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships (NPC) on Tuesday September 18.
With the support of the National Ploughing Association (NPA), this drive is aimed at reaching all walks of life.
Mounted on the tractor will be an eternal light representing those that have lost their lives around Ireland.
With around 290 lives lost in the last 10 years, representing a farmer killed every two weeks across the 32 counties, the tractor will display these stark statistics to remind people to be always aware of the farming environment and to farm safely.
The light will also be displayed during the NPC once the tractor has reached its final destination.
Embrace FARM is asking all families and neighbours affected by the loss or serious injury of a relative or friend in a farming accident to place a pair of wellies in the trailer attached to the tractor on the drive.
These wellies will feature at (the Embrace FARM stand) at the Ploughing Championship and represent the feet that once walked the farm.
Embrace FARM highlights the necessity for farm safety alongside the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Health and Safety Executive of Northern Ireland (HSENI), farm organisations and agri-businesses in whatever way they can to ensure farmers work safely to reduce the weekly deaths and farming accidents.
There will be social media updates every day from the tractor drivers on the Embrace FARM, Macra na Feirme, NPA, YFCU and WR Shaw Facebook and Twitter pages as well as on the individual club pages showing how the tractor is doing on its journey.
The tractor will also be fitted with GPS technology so people can follow its journey online.
Use the hash tags #WeRememberYou and #FarmSafety on all social media reference to the drive.
If you wish to support the cause and the lives it represents, donations are accepted at embracefarm.com or on the idonate.ie event page.
Please contact the Embrace FARM Team at 085 7709966 or email embrace.farm@gmail.com for further information or requests.