Prince William gets his boots muddy after praising NHS heroes

Prince William, continuing his mission after highlighting NHS pressures yesterday, will head to the heart of the English countryside drawing attention to the mental health challenges quietly faced by farmers across the UK.

On Thursday 15 January, the Prince of Wales will visit a family-run farm in Herefordshire in his role as patron of We Are Farming Minds, a charity dedicated to improving mental wellbeing within the agricultural community. 

The visit places a spotlight on a profession often marked by isolation, financial strain and relentless uncertainty that can take a serious toll behind the scenes.

Central to the engagement is John Bowler, who has managed his family’s 190-acre farm since the age of 19 after the sudden loss of his father in 2012. 

The Prince is expected to spend time taking part in everyday farm work, including pruning apple trees, repairing fencing and feeding livestock, offering a visible show of solidarity with rural families. 

He will also sit down with John, his wife Laura and founder Sam Stables to discuss how accessible mental health services can make a meaningful difference in farming communities.

William became patron of the Herefordshire-based organisation in March last year.

It follows recent unrest across the farming sector, with protests erupting over proposed inheritance tax changes that many fear could threaten the future of family farms. 

Anger boiled over this week as tractors lined streets outside a major farming conference.