Helping rural farm families with difficult conversations

A series of workshops are being held across rural England next month to help farming families get better at having difficult conversations.

GRIP is a one-day practical workshop run by Amy Hughes of EmpowerAg, who grew up on a beef and sheep farm in North Yorkshire and is a qualified mediator.

She said: “The hardest part of farming is rarely the work.

“It’s the conversations. Who’s in charge of what, whether to spend money, a change one generation wants, and another won’t hear of, or who takes over.

“It’s so common for the same argument to go round for years, and it’s not because anyone’s being awkward.”

In a small group of no more than 20, Amy will look at why people dig their heels in, how to have difficult conversations without them blowing up, and how to get everyone pulling the same way.

Participants will leave with a workbook and have the option of attending a follow-up session in the future.

GRIP workshops will take place at the following locations throughout November:

• Crockham Hill Village Hall, Kent (Monday 2 November)

• The Moorland Hall, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor (Wednesday 4 November)

• The Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester (Thursday 5 November)

• Elveden Inn, near Thetford (Tuesday 10 November)

• Long Buckby Rugby Club, Northamptonshire (Wednesday 11 November)

• The Vicarage, near Holmes Chapel, Cheshire (Thursday 12 November)

• Riseholme Cottage, Lincolnshire (Tuesday 17 November)

• Kendal Rugby Club, Cumbria (Tuesday 24 November)

• Askham Bryan College, York (Wednesday 25 November)

• The Anglers Arms, Longframlington, Northumberland (Thursday 26 November)

Places for each of the sessions can be booked online at www.tickettailor.com/events/empowerag.