Embrace FARM, the support network for those affected by farm accidents and which was set up by Laois man Brian Rohan, is encouraging people to join in the #WeRememberYou campaign this June to remember a person in their life lost or injured in a farm accident.
The campaign will this year culminate in an online Remembrance Service where names of those affected by a farm accident will be spoken in order to honour their memory.
Kairos Productions will be producing this for Embrace Farm and it will be online at 2pm on Sunday, June 28, for a live stream at www.embracefarm.com.
It will also be shown on RTE on Sunday, July 5, at 11am.
This is the seventh such annual Remembrance Service, but the first to be hosted online.
Last year more than 150 families had their loved ones remembered at the Ecumenical Service and Embrace FARM is encouraging people to send names of those they would like remembered this year.
Speaking about this initiative, Brian Rohan, Founder of Embrace FARM said “Our annual remembrance service is hugely important in the personal grieving process for many individuals and families.
“Last year we had hundreds of people attend the service and while we cannot gather this year because of the Covid 19 social distancing guidelines, we just knew we had to host the event in a virtual way.
“Behind each death there is a grieving family who are trying to find meaning and comfort.
“Behind every farm accident victim is a survivor who’s injury may be impacting themselves and their families lives.
We would encourage anyone who would like their father, mother, husband, wife, child, relative or someone important to their family or community remembered to send us their details so that we can honour their memory and continue to support each other on our collective journey.”
From 2010 to 2019 there have been 214 lives lost due to farm related accidents in the Republic of Ireland according to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).
A further 39 lives were lost from 2013 to 2019 in Northern Ireland according to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).
Teagasc research carried out between 2012-2017 estimates there are an average of 2500 farm accidents per year.
Embrace FARM is a registered charity which aims to provide support for those affected by farm accidents based on shared personal experience.
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