Arable farmer and Farming Group Community (FCN) ambassador Charles Anyan has been confirmed as one of many Farmers Weekly judges for this yr’s Britain’s Fittest Farmer competitors.
Based mostly in Lincolnshire, Charles grows 346ha of crops on his household farm, together with wheat, barley, oilseed rape and spring beans.
He’s keen about supporting FCN by way of numerous fundraising efforts, together with participating in a number of marathons.
See additionally: Phrases and Situations Farmers Weekly’s Britain’s Fittest Farmer competitors
Nevertheless, his relationship with working and bodily well being has not all the time been so clear-cut: “Going into Covid I used to be 17 stone at 5ft 7,” Charles says.
“I didn’t personal any trainers, and I didn’t need to personal any – I believed individuals who had trainers have been the work of the satan.
“I took up working after the swimming pools closed. I believed I needed to do one thing drastic.”
Charles Anyan © FCN
He began working as a part of the “Run1,000” problem, and first got here throughout FCN when choosing a charity to lift cash for.
“I wished to decide on a charity that had psychological well being as one among its remits. I had vaguely heard of FCN, however didn’t know rather a lot on the time,” says Charles. “I began elevating cash for them and acquired a bit carried away.”
By way of his fundraising efforts, Charles managed to lift slightly below £20,000 for the agricultural charity, which led to him turning into an FCN ambassador.
Now making ready to run his third marathon, Charles is keen about sharing his bodily and psychological wellbeing journey, which he promotes by way of his Twitter account.
“I attempt to present the way it helps my psychological well being, as a result of my psychological well being, regardless of having all the time been good, is healthier on account of train.
“Folks take a look at me in a different way as a result of now I’m generally known as the man who runs on a regular basis, quite than the man who would push you out the best way to get his third bacon sandwich on the NFU Convention.
“So, basically, due to working, and due to Covid I’ve turned my life round, and for the higher.”
Consolation zone
Charles admits that beginning his health journey required taking an enormous step outdoors his consolation zone, however he’s keen about inspiring others to do the identical and realise the psychological well being advantages that may come from bodily train.
He stated: “I’ve left my consolation zone rather a lot over the previous three years.”
For these simply beginning out on their journey, he recommends: “Maintain transferring. Purchase some mountain climbing boots. Don’t be ashamed to get off the farm often, and to only spend a little bit of time for you. Spend money on your self, mentally and bodily, and get outdoors of your consolation zone.
“From an train perspective, simply hold going and push your self – you’d be amazed at the place it might probably take you.”
Get speaking
Working with FCN final yr, Charles helped to spearhead the ‘Who’s your Julie?’ marketing campaign.
“It’s named after my finest buddy, Julie,” he says. “If the black clouds ever collect, I speak to Julie – an issue shared actually is an issue halved.
“We’ve acquired to maintain speaking and break the stigma that’s hooked up to psychological well being. It’s a giant barrier, and we’re too proud an business.
“If you’re struggling, there isn’t a disgrace in it. Speak to folks,” he says.
After his subsequent marathon, Charles is wanting ahead to assembly and talking with entrants and spectators on the Britain’s Fittest Farmer competitors, and hopes to start out discussions and encourage like-minded folks to satisfy and get speaking.
“There’s an enormous hyperlink between bodily and psychological well being, and I feel it’s great that Britain’s Fittest Farmer is a meet-up of ambassadors for our business who is not going to solely present the significance of retaining on prime of their bodily health, but additionally actually shine a light-weight on the psychological facet too.
“The competitors is giving them a platform to essentially make a distinction,” he says.
“I’m wanting ahead to getting caught in and for a few of these rivals to encourage me.”
The way to enter
Go to the Britain’s Fittest Farmer web page, add a photograph or quick video, and inform us the way you keep mentally and bodily match on the farm.
You’ll additionally discover all competitors info, together with phrases and circumstances, on the positioning.
