Our Drive to Remember

 

Embrace FARM #WeRememberYou Tractor Drive for #FarmSafety

 

 

Embrace FARM, the farm accident support network founded by Brian & 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.

 

With a tractor kindly donated by WR Shaw of Tullamore and driven by volunteers from Macra Na Feirme and the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster, the tractor will touch the grass roots of each county during its drive.

 

The launch of Our Drive to Remember will be opened by Mairead McGuinness MEP at 1pm on Sunday 12^th August at Tullamore Show from the WR Shaw stand. The finish point of the tractor drive will be on the opening day of the National Ploughing Championships (NPC) on Tuesday 18^th September. With the support of the National Ploughing Association (NPA), this drive is aimed at reaching all walks of life.

 

Mounted upon the tractor will be an eternal light representing those that have lost their lives around the Island of Ireland. With around 290 lives lost in the last ten years, representing a farmer killed every 2 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 who may have been affected by the loss or serious injury of a relative or friend in a farming accident to please 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 & Safety Authority (HSA) and the Health & 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 & 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. Please 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 acceptable through the www.embracefarm.com website 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.

 

Ends

 

Photo 1. Norma & Brian Rohan & Billy Shaw. Photo 2. Norma & Brian Rohan & Billy Shaw.

 

Credit - Photos courtesy of Jeff Harvey.

 

Editor’s Note

 

 

 

Embrace FARM (Farming Accidents Remembered & Missed) was established by Brian Rohan and his wife Norma in 2014.

 

 

 

Having experienced the tragic loss of his father Liam in 2012 in a farming accident, Brian with Norma decided after some research to organise an ecumenical remembrance service for farm families who have lost a loved one or suffered serious injury in a farming accident.

 

 

 

The vision of Embrace FARM is to be ‘a caring and supporting Agri-community for all those affected by farming accidents’.

 

 

 

This is carried through in their mission statement ‘to create a support network for those affected by farming accidents’ through their annual events, remembrance service and representation in the media and to government level representing their community.

 

 

 

Director	Phone No		Connection	Other information
Brian   Rohan	087-2343775	Laois + Nationwide	Founder	Dairy farmer
Norma   Rohan	086-8381427	Limerick + Nationwide	Founder
Padraig Higgins	087-0995772	Offaly	Director	Farmer- lost son in farm accident
Angela   Hogan	087-6387786	Tipperary	Director	Lost partner in farm accident
Peter   Gohery	087-4183620	Galway	Director	survived a farm accident
Larry O'Loughlin	087-2562434	Laois	Director	Teagasc Regional Manager
Peter   Byrne	086-2569790	Tipperary	Director	CEO Farm relief services
Seamus   Banim	086-8362516	Dublin	Director	ABP Communications director
Pat   Griffin	087-2362970	Meath & Tipperary	Director	HSA senior inspector
Aisling Meehan	085-7386615	Clare	Director	Agri Solicitor & Tax Consultant
Majella Philpott	087-9041951	Kerry & Cork	Volunteer	Secondary school teacher
Keith   Morrison	00 44 7711425507	Northern Ireland	Supporter	CEO of HSENI
James   Speers	0044 7752421659	Northern Ireland	Supporter	President YFCU
James   Healy	086-3023969	Cork + Nationwide	Supporter	President Macra na Feirme
Catherine Collins	086 1701635	West Cork + Nationwide	Development Manager with Embrace FARM