The DPJ Foundation - celebrating 5 years of helping Welsh farmers to “Share the Load”

On Sunday 15 January 2023 the DPJ Foundation celebrated another milestone as their confidential support helpline ‘Share the Load’ has been operating for 5 years. Listening, supporting, and helping the people of the farming community and their families across Wales, the DPJ Foundation has provided counselling to more than 750 people.

The Share the Load support helpline is a 24/7 confidential call and text line with a free counselling referral service, specifically for those in Welsh agriculture. The DPJ Foundation prides itself on its non-judgmental, Samaritans-trained volunteers who are always there when needed. Share the Load is different to many helplines as it gives the option of fully funded professional counselling in English or Welsh to those who want it.

Kate Miles, the charity’s manager, said “It’s been a challenging year for many of us, especially for farmers. As we head into 2023, things are still looking difficult for UK farm businesses with many having to make some hard decisions about their future. This can also put pressure on relationships and lead to stress, worry and poor mental health. Here at the DPJ Foundation we want to make sure that everyone in Welsh agriculture knows that they are not alone. When you are facing some hard times and difficult challenges, we can help. Our volunteers understand the farming industry and can offer support. We work closely with other charities such as Tir Dewi, The Farming Community Network - FCN, and RABI (The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution) who can also help in difficult times.”

Emma, the founder of the DPJ Foundation who established the charity 6½ years ago following the death of her husband Daniel Picton Jones by suicide, said – “The last 5 years of Share the Load have been some of the most proud but heart breaking years of my life. Just over 5 years ago, following experiencing my own difficulty with accessing counselling following Dan’s death, I sat in the back room of a small coffee shop one winter's night and told a group of friends that I was going to create a service that meant people didn’t have to wait for support; that they could get help 24 hours a day should they need it and speak to a professional within 24 hours. They would have counselling in a way that suited them, be that at home or in the local community. 

"I don’t think any of us there that night thought that we would have made it this far but here we are. It breaks my heart that we have so many calls, but I am unbelievably proud of this service, the fact we cover Wales and provide support 24/7 to the people that needs it the most is a wonderful feeling. Thank you to all of the volunteers, counsellors and staff who make this possible. Mainly, thank you to those who call and allow us to help you Share the Load.”

The DPJ Foundation urges people to take notice of the people around them, loved ones, neighbours, and those in their community. Being there by showing them they are not alone can make a huge difference in someone’s life. The charity offers mental health awareness training for free; the 3½ hr session allows you to learn how you can support others in the farming community here in Wales as well as yourself. It will enable you to know how to recognise the signs of someone with poor mental health, how to support them, how to access help and also how to care for your own mental health. 

The charity also runs Bereavement and Grief Awareness sessions which are free thanks to funding from the Welsh Government. To find out more or to book head over to the DPJ Foundation website.

The DPJ Foundation also calls for your help to spread the word about the Share the Load helpline by displaying posters, leaflets, car, trailer, and bale stickers anywhere that you can.

Congratulations to the DPJ Foundation on hitting this milestone and 

good luck for the next 5 years. 

 If you need help, you can call them free on 0800 587 4262 or text them 

on 07860 048 799 (this number doesn’t accept calls).

The DPJ Foundation is part of the Powys Agri Wellbeing Support network (PAWS). If you would like to find out more about PAWS, email mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk or check out our website where there is an information sheet listing support available in Powys.

The PAWS network takes the message into market cafes

The new PAWS mugs are delivered to Machynlleth livestock market

by Sue Newham
Engagement Officer
 Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations

The Powys Agri Wellbeing Support network is facilitated by PAVO, but attended by a wide range of third sector and statutory organisations.

The network has had many discussions about how to raise awareness of the many services that are out there to support members of the farming community. At the end of 2019, it was agreed that the network would produce an information sheet in English and Cymraeg with details of all the support available, with phone contact details. 

Each sheet is two sides of A4, so that organisations can print them out and give them to those who struggle with digital connection. They can also be placed in community buildings, or used by staff who regularly speak to farmers.

The network has committed to updating these every 6 months. The sheets are also available on the PAVO website for easy download.

These information sheets have been well used and helpful, but still the network grappled with how to get support messages out to farmers and members of the farming community where they are.

Discussions came up with the idea of mugs branded with multiple support numbers to be placed in livestock market cafés across Powys.The design work was done and agreed, but the issue of funding remained.

Thankfully, the PTHB Charitable Funds grant opened, and Kate Miles of the DPJ Foundation stepped in to lead on the application on behalf of the PAWS group.

Funding was awarded for 396 mugs to be printed.

Mugs were handed over at each livestock market during April 2022.

Brecon livestock market

A few mugs were given to auctioneers where there was no market café.

Builth Wells livestock market

Many positive comments have been received about the mugs.

Jess Morris, a regional champion for the DPJ Foundation said:

“I absolutely love these mugs. They are really great because all the foundations are on them and they are bright coloured. They will do well in the farming community. As a young farmer working in the farming community, I don't think farmers like to speak out about mental health. It is a challenging sector and promoting a tiny bit here and there will be essential.”

Knighton livestock market

Talgarth livestock market

The Powys Agri Wellbeing Support facilitator, Sue Newham, from PAVO, says:

“It is great to have brought this project to a successful conclusion, but as a group we have to keep pushing forward with raising awareness. Great though the mugs are, we can’t rest on our laurels. We would like to have a more regular “in person” presence at livestock markets, so we are discussing how we can make this happen.”

Welshpool livestock market

Taylbont & Sennybridge livestock markets

If you would like to be part of the Powys Agri Wellbeing Support group,

please contact Sue by emailing: sue.newham@pavo.org.uk

Rhayader livestock market

Farming charity launches new service for farming people

RABI – the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution – is farming’s oldest and largest charity, operating across Wales and England. The charity has been serving the farming community since 1860.

Though best known for offering financial support (having given out grants of more than £3m to farming people in 2019), RABI is extending its services to provide more all-round support packages. The charity recently launched an online wellbeing community and counselling service for farming people of all ages, as Communications Manager Rob Harris, below, explains.

Tell us a bit more about the new service?

We’ve launched two distinct websites - Qwell.io/rabi for adults, and Kooth.com/rabi for those aged 11-17. These are safe and confidential online platforms, which are delivered in partnership with a specialist online mental health provider. The websites include dedicated farmer friendly content and access to BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) recognised, qualified counsellors. It means anyone from the farming sector can talk to a counsellor, for free and in complete confidence, about anything that’s bothering them, whatever the issues might be.

Counsellors are available from 12pm - 10pm Monday to Friday and from 6pm - 10pm at weekends. Drop-in and pre-booked sessions are available.

What prompted RABI to set up these new services to support farmers’ wellbeing? 

We want to offer more support and be there for the small things as well as the big. We are known for helping people during the toughest of times, but we want to give assistance much earlier. We recognise that early intervention and one-to-one support are key in preventing problems from escalating.

Did you aim to launch this service in a pandemic?

No, but in many ways it’s appropriate because 2020 has been testing for so many of us. For farmers there are always uncertainties and things beyond their control, such as fluctuating prices and adverse weather, but planning ahead during a pandemic is almost impossible.

Maintaining good mental wellbeing is absolutely vital, for individuals, for families and for businesses. No one should take their mental wellbeing for granted. We want to get to a point where the farming community accept that it’s OK not to be OK.

Is this a new venture for RABI?

Yes. It’s part of a five-year strategy that will extend our reach to more people. We want to focus on early intervention and providing one to one support that prevents people reaching crisis point.

What else are you currently involved in?

We’ve appointed the University of Exeter to conduct a survey to better understand the issues facing farmers. The research will be the largest survey ever undertaken to gain an understanding directly from farming people of the stresses they face and the impacts on their wellbeing of these challenges.

We’ve worked with a number of key stakeholders to help develop the survey including the NFU, NFU Cymru, Defra, Welsh Government, the Worshipful Company of Farmers, the National Rural Mental Health Forum, the Prince’s Countryside Fund, Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian. We’re hoping to achieve 26,000 responses to the survey across Wales and England. 

You can read more about the research project here.

What will you use this information for?

To shape our services going forward and ensure we remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. 

We might think we know what the issues in farming are – but the results of this survey will portray the true picture – and it might surprise us.

We’ll publish the results to provide the agricultural sector with an overview of the issues those in farming are facing. 

Many thanks to Rob Harris for telling us more about this valuable new service to support the farming community across Powys (and beyond). 

To find out what RABI can do for you go to www.rabi.org.uk, call the Freephone Helpline 0808 281 9490 or email help@rabi.org.uk

Farming Community Network - supporting farmers in Powys

Pat Borland is a volunteer with the charity Farming Community Network, which supports farmers and families within the farming community through difficult times. 

Originally from Zimbabwe, Pat moved to live in Mid Wales 10 years ago and has been an FCN volunteer for the past four and a half years. She inherited the secretarial duties in October 2014 and early in 2015 the role of Regional Coordinator was added.

I caught up with Pat at the FCN national conference last Autumn at the Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells, and recently found out more about her role and the FCN.

How did you get involved in volunteering with the Farming Community Network originally?

My husband and I were asked, due to our experience in agriculture, to join the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon Rural Life Committee through which we met Revd Richard Kirlew. At the time he was the FCN Regional Coordinator for Mid Wales and he inspired me to volunteer for FCN.

Tell us more about your role for FCN and the work of Powys volunteers

The main responsibility of Regional Coordinators is to oversee the organisation and activities of FCN groups at county level. They are the link, with their Regional Directors, to the FCN head office and staff who provide direction for the organisation and support to the volunteers. Key duties are to receive, process and delegate case referrals but in order for this to be effective there should be sufficient, adequately trained caseworkers available as well as adequate resources and safeguards. Making sure that everything is in place in a voluntary organisation is very challenging!

Volunteers can be called on to support farmers through a wide variety of crises from running short of stockfeed to bankruptcy, and from minor family fallouts to bereavement and suicide. Some cases are resolved with a few telephone calls while others require the caseworker to provide support for months and even years. The support takes the form of listening and helping farmers work through the options open to them rather than giving guidance and advice but frequently caseworkers call on the expertise of other organisations and professional people to assist in restoring the farmer’s capacity and ability to run his/her own life.

What are some of the signs that someone from the farming community is struggling with their mental health?

These are much the same as in all sectors of the population, the difficulty being that farmers tend to be more isolated than those who live in villages or towns so there is less opportunity for others to detect the signs. One of the most obvious signs is a significant change in behaviour and another would be that the farmer is not coping with his routine work load.

Ed Ford, Chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers said last year: “Farmers are incredibly proud people and will not ask for help.” What can we all do to encourage farmers to talk about their mental health?

We should work towards a society in which mental health issues are discussed as freely and non-judgementally as any other, and can provide opportunities and places where farmers can feel safe and comfortable about discussing their wellbeing e.g. setting up Wellbeing Clinics at livestock markets and ensuring that market places provide opportunities for individual farmers to discuss their concerns and problems in private and in confidence.

Pat speaking at the FCN AGM in Autumn 2018

What kind of support can FCN provide when someone does get in touch? 

Once farmers have contacted FCN and requested assistance they are provided with a caseworker who will ‘walk with’ them for as long as it takes for them to regain their self assurance to manage on their own. The caseworker does not give technical advice but rather gets the farmer to talk through all his/her concerns and suggests various options for moving forward. 

If the farmer needs specific professional advice or financial support then the caseworker will indicate the options available and assist with the processes involved. For example in a recent case the father of a family with several children who have special needs was incapacitated leaving his wife (in this case the farmer) to cope on her own in financially straightened circumstances. The FCN caseworker was able to advise the farmer on how to establish that she was paying far above the recommended rent for her small holding; where to apply for grants and support for her special needs children; and finally which agricultural grants and loans she was eligible for to help her through the difficult time. Unfortunately her misfortunes are not over - now she has received notice to vacate the smallholding within one month but her caseworker is still supporting her!

What are some of the most challenging issues facing farmers in Mid Wales at this time?

The combination of last year's long, hard winter with the long dry, hot period during summer has resulted in livestock farmers having used up all their on-farm feed stocks and being unable to build up sufficient reserves to take their normal stock holdings through the winter and early spring. They have been forced to de-stock when prices are low resulting in financial losses. It is at this time of year that farm subsidies are paid out and inevitably some farmers are not paid on time or as much as they anticipated which leads to enormous financial stress. Not to mention Brexit which is making the future so uncertain. Once the political situation has been finalised then farmers, like other business people, can make decisions and move forward with a greater degree of certainty and confidence.

If people don’t receive the support they need, what can happen to them and their farms?

As in other families and businesses this can lead to severe personal and family stresses which may end up in family breakdown or even suicide, and if the family cannot function properly, the farm cannot be run productively which means it will probably have to be sold or in some cases just abandoned! Of all professions in the UK, farming has the highest number of suicides: nearly one per week!

We hear that isolation and loneliness can be a big issue for some farmers. Are there any networks that farmers can tap into?

Farmers can and should participate in community activities and interact with their neighbours and colleagues. More formally young farmers can join Young Farmers' Clubs while all farmers can join the NFU (National Farmers' Union) or FUW (Farmers' Union of Wales). Through these organisations, or other sources of information, farmers will learn of conferences, seminars and short courses designed to strengthen their skills and should make a point of participating in these on a regular basis. One appreciates that it is not easy for them due to the distances they may need to travel and the difficulties of leaving the farm unattended however resolving these issues is easier than sorting out the consequences of long term isolation and loneliness!

Which other organisations do you work closely with, either locally in Powys, or in the rest of the UK, to provide support to the farming community?

Traditionally FCN works with the other farming help organisations namely RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institute) and the Addington Fund and of course the Government Agencies as applicable to various cases and in some instances in specific programmes like Cymorth Bovine TB control. In Wales the various FCN Groups, led by our Regional Director, are forming working relationships with all support agencies and charities that supply specialist services that may be applicable to achieving FCN’s objectives. The cooperation and information provided by PAVO is an essential component resource for us.

What are the main challenges of the role?

The main challenge of my job is in matching volunteers to cases particularly as we actually do not have enough caseworkers and most of our volunteers do not speak Welsh.

Tell us about some of the most rewarding work you have done at FCN so far

For me the reward is to hear that a caseworker has been able to support a farmer to the point where he/she has overcome their problems and is once more living happily and productively.

When you are not volunteering for FCN, how do you enjoy spending your time?

Walking in beautiful Wales. 

If you want to find out more about the Farming Community Network you can go to the website at www.fcn.org.uk or email help@fcn.org.uk or ring 01788 510866.

If you want to talk to a sympathetic person who understands farmers and rural life you can call the FCN helpline: 03000 111 999. Calls will be answered in person from 7am to 11pm every day of the year. Alternatively you can email the e-Helpline at chris@fcn.org.uk

Rural stress – working together to support the agri sector in Powys

PAVO brings together people representing agricultural and mental health sector organisations across Powys

“It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to do something that you hadn’t done, because if we don’t do those things, we never grow.”  The DPJ Foundation

On Tuesday I attended a packed first meeting of what looks like a new PAVO network. It was organised by my Engagement colleague Sue Newham, and facilitated by Freda Lacey (Senior Officer Health & Wellbeing PAVO) to look at how organisations can better work together to address the worsening issue of mental health distress and stigma in the agricultural community in Powys.

Men in particular, but also women working in this sector, such as farmers and vets, are vulnerable to high levels of stress due to many factors beyond their control including the weather, isolation, animal disease, farm succession, and, even as I write, who knows what future Brexit holds….?

In our team we had been conscious of the issues for some time, alerted by our colleagues in the health board that this community was not so readily accessing mental health services as other people in Powys. However, after recognising some of the barriers in reaching out to this community ourselves (as detailed in Farming and mental health: the challenge) we realised that it was essential to collaborate closely with other key groups for us to make any kind of impact.

The BIG issue we identified at Tuesday’s meeting

Men working in the agri sector in Powys are still reluctant to ask for help when they need it. There could be hundreds of support services available, but if help is never sought it will make absolutely no difference to that person. The real challenge is encouraging men that “it’s OK to say” – as recognised by a Farmers’ Union of Wales event at the Royal Welsh Show in 2017.

Share the load

Emma Picton Jones lost her husband Daniel when he chose to end his life in 2016 after struggling with mental health issues. She subsequently set up The DPJ Foundation to support the agri sector in Pembrokeshire, and attended Tuesday’s meeting with her fellow trustee Sophie Adams. 

After a successful first year providing free counselling sessions and training for the sector in south-west Wales, the charity is now extending into Powys. 18 volunteers staff the telephone / text helpline. New Powys counsellors have been recruited who can provide the first counselling session within a week at a mutually convenient location in Welsh or English.

If you, or someone you know, would like to talk to someone confidentially then call 0800 587 4262 or text 07860 048 799. The helpline service is available 24/7. 

Man to man

Tracy Lewis, a farmer who also works for Mid Powys Mind in Radnorshire, told us about a new initiative the organisation is piloting to encourage men to talk to and support each other. It is aimed at all men, but she is visiting markets in the area and encouraging farmers to “take the Pledge with a friend”. 

As part of the Pledge the men agree that if they are struggling they will tell their friend that they need help, particularly if they are feeling suicidal, and contact support services. Friends also pledge to listen to each other without judgment, to ask directly if they think they may be suicidal, and support each other to seek appropriate help.

Tracy Lewis of Mid Powys Mind with Owen Griffkin, Participation Officer Mental Health - PAVO

Numerous other organisations attended on the day, bringing massive expertise and experience into this new network. They included Age Cymru Powys, Brecon & District Mind, Care & Repair Powys, Dementia Matters in Powys, the Farming Community Network, the Farmers’ Union of Wales, the National Union of Farmers, Ponthafren Association, Powys Teaching Health Board, and the local Young Farmers’ Clubs. Two PAVO trustees with extensive experience in the field - Trish Buchan and Ian Charlesworth, joined them.

Many of these organisations already provide support services for people in the agricultural sector struggling with stress or low mood. The challenge now is to work collaboratively to provide the best possible support to those that need it.

Some of the challenges & proposed approaches

These points / questions were raised during the meeting:

• Do we focus on normalising mental health issues with young people now in college so that in twenty years they will be better equipped to deal with what life throws at them, or, support those in their 40s and 50s who are struggling now? Or both? 
• It is no one person’s job to help support people working in the agri sector. We need to tap into the whole community – we all have contact with farmers. (I do. My cat goes on holiday to a cattery – a diversification scheme - on a farm). 
• Mental Health First Aid training, tailored specifically for the agri sector, is key. Vets, feed merchants, market staff, farmers’ union staff, the list goes on… The DPJ Foundation provides this training and raises awareness about how to spot the first signs of mental health struggles and what support is available. 
• Powys Teaching Health Board is looking at a more integrated approach, so that people can seek support about both their physical and mental health issues at the same time. In Pembrokeshire The DPJ Foundation will be trialling a mobile unit which will go to markets, shows and even farms. A blood pressure check, a bit of an all-round physical MOT, and a chat. 
• Ambassadors in the community who can speak about their own experiences can be very powerful in sowing the seed – that “it’s OK to say” and support is available. The DPJ Foundation invested a huge amount of time giving talks in the early days and people would ring for help – some several months later. 
• Clarity around what support third parties can give (families, friends and neighbours) is needed. So often it is down to the individual to make that first contact (or not) which leaves others feeling helpless and hopeless. 
• Sustainability is also key: 20 years ago following the Foot & Mouth crisis a number of initiatives were set up such as the Rural Stress Helpline, but ultimately they ended as funding ceased. We need to try, together, to embed support within the community not just in short-term services. 

This post is just a brief summary of a much wider and deeper discussion about the current situation and fuller notes will be available to anyone interested in joining this network. You can find out more by contacting Sue Newham, tel: 01597 822191 or email mentalhealth@pavo.org.uk

The next meeting of this network (which has yet to have a name!) will be in May after the lambing season.

The Mid Powys Mind Pledge sign-up 

For me the key message I took away from this valuable session was that we all, as Powys people, need to work on raising awareness, and normalising asking for help, amongst the agricultural community.

“It’s OK to say”. 

We would be very interested to know your thoughts – please comment below or contact us in the Health & Wellbeing team at Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations.