Jill Willows Scholar: Kate Tomlinson

Kate Tomlinson, fourth year Rural Enterprise and Land Management (REALM) student and recipient of the Jill Willows Scholarship.

“To me, Jill Willows seemed like a forward thinking, determined and passionate woman who wanted to help young people and who also had a shared interest in farming and rural life”, says Kate, 21.

“I’d like to thank The Jill Willows Scholarship Panel for granting me £1,000, which I intend to put towards signing up for a Mental Health First Aid Course. For my dissertation, I am looking at ways in which positive perceptions towards mental health and help seeking can be increased in farmers in Britain. I hope that upon the course, I will be, if asked, able to offer appropriate support or advice to farmers or people I may deal with in my role as a Graduate Rural Chartered Surveyor.

“I believe that this training may be helpful to those affected by Brexit or any of the other stressors of farming. I hope that the training gives me the confidence to help anyone within the rural community, should they require it.”

Kate’s course has proved the ideal fit for her. “Having come from a farming background, where my dad liked to use myself and my brothers as ‘temporary’ sheepdogs, I was interested in working in the rural environment. My course appeared to allow me to continue with my interest in farming while also diverting into other rural areas.”

Kate, from Lanchester, County Durham, lives a very active life – and is a keen traveller. “I am interested in any sports, whether it be hockey, walking, running, riding or skiing. My competitive nature lead me to completing the Edinburgh Half Marathon in May and also attempting to climb the Ecuadorian biggest peak in July 2018. Having spent part of my summer in Hong Kong when I was 16, I caught the travelling bug and have most recently come back from an amazing two months in South America.”