Countryside has been a Covid lifeline
We’ve all endured the challenges of Covid, the highs and real low, and staying safe remains very real as we return to some form of normality.
I was delighted to see the Shropshire countryside and its farmed landscape given a massive thumbs up by people for bolstering their health and mental wellbeing during lockdown.
The survey results, produced for the NFU, show our rural areas, which have been shaped by generations of farmers, have been a lifeline to thousands of people.
More than eight out of 10 people questioned (87 per cent) said that visiting the countryside and farmland during the pandemic had improved their physical or mental wellbeing, with more than half saying it had improved both.
People also said it gave them an appreciation of rural areas, helped them understand more about farming and where their food comes from and got them closer to nature.
While we’ve welcomed more and more people than ever during lockdown and they are welcome, we would also still urge those out and about to follow The Countryside Code. Please keep to public paths and stay clear of crops and wildlife corridors on our farms and be cautious around livestock, especially if you’re out with your dog.
Oliver Cartwright, NFU West Midlands
