Grieving dad to drive tractor through Aylesbury Vale town during suicide awareness campaign

A grieving father is visiting Winslow on his tractor during his national campaign raising suicide awareness.

On New Year’s Day 2022 Lynda and Andy Eadon from Warwickshire tragically lost their son, Len, a young farmer, to suicide at the age of 22.

As part of their campaign, Len’s Light, Andy will be driving through Winslow during his 2,000-mile journey.

Len’s Light’ is their vision to launch a national awareness campaign on the mental health issues that affect people in the rural community.

Andy will be traveling through Scotland, England and Wales, he is due to arrive in Winslow on Friday (7 July).

Along the length of this epic journey the tractor has visited livestock markets and rural communities to promote suicide prevention in the farming industry.

The couple launched the campaign at the Kenilworth Show on Saturday 3 June and received a round of applause from the show’s attendees during a lap of honour for their campaigning work.

The key message the couple is spreading is: “No-one in the rural community should feel isolated or alone.”

Lynda said: “It is so important that everyone talks openly about how they are really feeling and to reach out for help when it is needed. People need to be willing to really listen to these conversations and to pick up on any concerns.”

Andy is raising money for the national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide.

Their quest is to get their message to as many people as possible. With this in mind the route that the tractor will be following will call in at Livestock Markets along the way. Stopping to engage with people to talk, to listen and reflect. Kickstarting conversations about mental health and awareness.

At each of these markets they will be collecting up book – The Little, Big Book of Everyone, which will have previously been delivered. This will give people the opportunity to write a message, or experience they wish to share. On completion of Len’s Light relay, these books will be compiled to make one big book of hope and warmth, created by the rural community.

It is also their intention to open up an online petition to be delivered to Westminster in the autumn. The petition’s aim is to make mental health and farm safety statuary in all land based Agricultural Colleges and Universities.

During his tractor relay Andy will travel from John o' Groats to Land’s End in Cornwall.

For practical, confidential suicide prevention help and advice, please contact HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or email [email protected].

The Len’s Light fundraising page can be found online here.

On the website dedicated to their late son, a series of stories and tributes have been paid to Len. These have been written by his friends and family, discussing his impact on others, the highlights of his life, and his work as a farmer. They have also put together a gallery of photos of their late son.