The DPJ Foundation launches vital children’s books

Lawnsiad Sefydliad DPJ o lyfrau plant hanfodol

DPJ founder Emma's children - Trystan, Mali & Erin 
Plant Emma, sylfaenydd DPJ - Trystan, Mali ac Erin

On Tuesday 10 October 2023, World Mental Health Awareness Day, The DPJ Foundation shared their first series of therapeutic children’s picture books the “Dan Y Bont” series with schools across Wales.

The DPJ Foundation, founded in 2016, supports the mental health of agricultural communities across Wales, providing a 24/7 helpline ‘Share The Load’. This includes supporting those who are bereaved and are experiencing grief.

Ar ddydd Mawrth 10fed o Hydref, 2023, Diwrnod Ymwybyddiaeth Iechyd Meddwl y Byd, rhannodd Sefydliad DPJ, gydag ysgolion ledled Cymru, llyfrau “Dan Y Bont”, eu cyfres gyntaf o lyfrau lluniau therapiwtig i blant.

Mae Sefydliad DPJ, a sefydlwyd yn 2016, yn cefnogi iechyd meddwl cymunedau amaethyddol ar draws Cymru, gan ddarparu llinell gymorth 24/7 ‘Rhannwch y Baich’. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cymorth i’r rhai hynny sydd wedi cael profedigaeth ac sy’n galaru.

The idea for this project came from the DPJ Foundation’s charity manager, Kate Miles. Kate recognized the increasing need for bereavement support for children in rural communities, especially those in agriculture and often found parents turning to the DPJ Foundation for assistance when their children were grappling with the complexities of grief. Thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government’s Bereavement Support Fund, the charity was able to create a collection of three books specifically tailored to primary-age children, aiming to provide them with much-needed support during difficult times. Fundraising from within the agricultural community has enabled the DPJ Foundation to place books within schools and libraries across the country. Kate said:

“We know that everyone will experience bereavement at some point, and dealing with this as a child can be difficult. We wanted to support parents, grandparents and teachers to have conversations that can enable their children to deal with often overwhelming feelings. We know that it is hard to support your child whilst trying to face your own loss so we wanted to offer something that may help.”

Lluniwyd y prosiect yn dilyn awgrymiadau Kate Miles, rheolwr elusen Sefydliad DPJ, a oedd wedi adnabod yr angen cynyddol am gefnogaeth profedigaeth i blant mewn cymunedau gwledig, yn enwedig cymunedau amaethyddol. Roedd hi’n aml yn gweld rhieni’n troi at Sefydliad DPJ am help pan roedd eu plant yn brwydro gyda chymhlethdodau galar. Diolch i grant oddiwrth Gronfa Cynnal Profedigaeth Llywodraeth Cymru, fe’m galluogwyd ni i greu casgliad o dri llyfr a deilwrwyd yn arbennig ar gyfer plant oed cynradd, gan anelu at ddarparu’r gefnogaeth sydd mawr ei hangen arnynt yn ystod dyddiau tywyll. Mae gwaith codi arian yn y gymuned amaethyddol wedi galluogi Sefydliad DPJ i osod llyfrau mewn ysgolion a llyfrgelloedd ar draws y wlad. Dywedodd Kate:

“Mae pawb yn dioddef profedigaeth ar ryw adeg. Gall delio â hyn pan yn blentyn fod yn anodd. Roeddwn am gefnogi rhieni, neiniau a theidiau ac athrawon i gynnal sgyrsiau a allai alluogi eu plant i ddelio â theimladau sydd, yn aml, yn gwbl llethol. Deallwn ei fod yn anodd cefnogi’ch plentyn tra’n ceisio wynebu’ch colled eich hun, felly roeddwn am gynnig rhywbeth a allai fod o gymorth”.

Collaborating with the dedicated team at Green Wellies Publishing in Builth Wells, the Charity’s founder, Emma O’Sullivan alongside Kate, worked to lay the foundations for these stories. Anwen Nicholls and Kenneth Rees then skilfully crafted the words and illustrations to bring these ideas to life.

The Dan Y Bont series revolves around the lives of three children in a small village, each of whom has experienced a different type of loss—whether it's the passing of a grandparent, the sudden loss of a sibling, or the tragedy of a parent's suicide. These books approach these sensitive topics with great care and in a child-friendly manner, offering children explanations and suggestions for moving forward while reinforcing the message that it's okay not to feel okay during such difficult times.

Wrth gydweithio’n agos gyda thîm cyhoeddi ymroddgar Green Wellies yn Llanfair ym Muallt, aeth Emma O’Sullivan, sylfaenydd yr elusen, a Kate ati i ddatblygu seiliau cysyniadol y llyfrau hyn. Yna, defnyddiwyd talent creadigol Anwen Nicholls a Kenneth Rees i ysgrifennu a darlunio’r storïau er mwyn rhoi bywyd i’r syniadau hyn.

Troella gyfres Dan Y Bont o gwmpas bywydau tri o blant mewn pentref bach, ac mae pob un ohonynt wedi dioddef colled wahanol - p’un ai bod hynny’n farwolaeth tadcu neu famgu, colli brawd neu chwaer yn sydyn neu hunan-laddiad trasig rhiant. Mae’r llyfrau hyn yn trafod y themáu sensitif hyn gyda gofal mawr ac mewn dull cyfeillgar i blant wrth gynnig esboniadau ac awgrymiadau ynghylch symud ymlaen, tra’n atgyfnerthu’r neges ei fod yn iawn i beidio â theimlo’n iawn mewn cyfnodau mor anodd.

Emma, who is also a primary school teacher, established The DPJ Foundation after losing her husband Daniel Picton-Jones to suicide. Emma's personal experiences with her own children following the loss of Daniel served as inspiration for these books. Emma says:

“I am so proud of what we have achieved with these books, alongside the team at Green Wellies. When Mali and Trystan lost their dad, there was little support for them so to now see these books available for children who are experiencing grief is wonderful. As a teacher, I see the impact of books every day and I’m glad we can now contribute to that with our own books.”

Sefydlodd Emma, sydd hefyd yn athrawes ysgol gynradd, Sefydliad DPJ wedi iddi golli ei gŵr, Daniel Picton-Jones, drwy hunanladdiad. Hysbrydolodd profiadau personol Emma gyda’i phlant ei hun yn dilyn colli Daniel i fynd ati i lunio’r llyfrau hyn. Dyma oedd gan Emma i’w ddweud:

“Dw i mor falch o’r hyn ‘rydym ni, ochr yn ochr â’r tîm yn Green Wellies, wedi’i gyflawni. Pan gollodd Mali a Thrystan eu tad doedd fawr o gefnogaeth ar gael iddynt, felly mae’n hyfryd gweld bod y llyfrau hyn ar gael i blant sy’n galaru. Fel athrawes, gwelaf yn ddyddiol effaith llyfrau a dw i mor falch ein bod yn gallu cyfrannu at hynny gyda’n llyfrau ni’n hunain”.

Books have been distributed to over 160 schools right across the country along with an accompanying assembly that is available in both English and Welsh and which can be delivered to introduce the books and open the conversation around bereavement and mental health. Assemblies will be delivered in some schools by the DPJ Foundation’s Regional Champion volunteers, including one by Mali, Emma’s daughter, who had also fundraised along with her brother Trystan and friends Reuben, Freddie and Isla who are also helping to distribute the books. Mali said:

“When mum told us about the books, we all decided to wanted to fundraise to make sure we could get these books out to schools. We didn’t have anything like this when we lost dad so it’s nice that other children and families can use the books to help.”

Trystan said “I really liked being able to look in a book and see another child who had lost their dad too and was able to get help and understand what happened. I think they will be really good for other children who have been through the same thing as me.”

Mae llyfrau wedi’u dosbarthu i dros 160 o ysgolion ar draws y wlad, ynghyd â gwasanaethau boreuol cyfrwng Cymraeg a Saesneg. Mae modd eu defnyddio i gyflwyno’r llyfrau a dechrau’r sgwrs am brofedigaeth ac iechyd meddwl. Cafodd rhai o’r gwasanaethau eu cyflwyno yn yr ysgolion gan wirfoddolwyr Pencampwyr Rhanbarthol Sefydliad DPJ, gan gynnwys un gan Mali, merch Emma, a oedd hefyd wedi bod yn codi arian yng nghwmi ei brawd Trystan a’i ffrindiau Reuben, Freddie ac Isla, sydd hefyd yn helpu dosbarthu’r llyfrau. Dyma a oedd gan Mali i’w ddweud:

“Pan soniodd mam am y llyfrau, roedd pob un ohonom wedi penderfynu ein bod am godi arian i wneud yn siwr bod y llyfrau hyn yn cyrraedd ysgolion. Doedd dim byd tebyg ar gael i ni pan gollon ni Dad. Felly, mae’n braf bod plant a theuluoedd eraill yn gallu defnyddio’r llyfrau i’w helpu”.

Dywedodd Trystan “Roeddwn wir yn hoffi darllen am blentyn arall a oedd hefyd wedi colli ei dad a chael help yn ogystal â deall yr hyn a oedd wedi digwydd. Dw i’n credu y byddant yn dda iawn ar gyfer plant eraill sydd wedi profi’r un sefyllfa”.

The charity was committed to making the books available in both English and Welsh to ensure widespread accessibility and Welsh books are currently in the print stage.

Anwen Nicholls and Ken Rees of Green Wellies Publishing are proud to have worked on these books. They said:

“We hope that the books offer some support to families when they are facing sadness, and looking to find images and words to help make sense of the challenging times in their lives. It has been an honour and great responsibility working with the DPJ on this project, and we would like to extend our thanks for being tasked with this very important piece of work.”

Roedd yr elusen wedi’i hymrwymo i sicrau bod y llyfrau ar gael yn Gymraeg a Saesneg, fel eu bod yn hygyrch i bawb, ac mae’r fersiynau Cymraeg yn nwylo’r argraffwyr ar hyn o bryd.

Mae Anwen Nicholls a Ken Rees o gwmni cyhoeddi Green Wellies yn falch eu bod wedi gweithio ar y llyfrau hyn. Dyma oedd ganddynt i’w ddweud:

“Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd y llyfrau’n cynnig rhywfaint o gymorth i deuluoedd pan y maen nhw’n wynebu tristwch, ac yn chwilio am luniau a geiriau sy’n helpu gwneud synnwyr mewn cyfnodau heriol yn eu bywydau. Mae wedi bod yn anrhydedd a chyfrifoldeb mawr i weithio gyda DPJ ar y prosiect hwn, ac hoffwn estyn ein diolch iddynt am gael y fraint o weithio ar y darn pwysig yma o waith”.

As the week commencing 10th-16th October was also ‘Ag Mental Health Week’, it’s an important opportunity for the charity to highlight the support available for mental health in agriculture, including around bereavement. Kate was keen to highlight that the books are just one aspect of the support available from the DPJ Foundation:

“We all cope differently with loss and for those that need a bit of extra help, we are here at the DPJ Foundation to listen and to support, including with counselling and other therapy. We have developed some information about the practical aspects of a death in agriculture and hope that this along with these books will help make things if not easier, then a little less hard. We also have developed free training for those in the community who want to support others with their bereavement.”

Gan fod wythnos y 10fed – 16eg o Hydref hefyd yn ‘Wythnos Iechyd Meddwl Amaeth’, mae’n gyfle pwysig i’r elusen i amlygu’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael ar gyfer iechyd meddwl mewn amaeth, gan gynnwys profedigaeth. Roedd Kate yn awyddus i ddweud bod y llyfrau ond yn un agwedd o’r gefnogaeth sydd ar gael gan Sefydliad DPJ:

“Mae pawb yn ymdopi â cholled mewn gwahanol ffordd ac, i’r rhai hynny sydd angen ychydig mwy o help, rydym yma yn Sefydliad DPJ i wrando a chefnogi, gan gynnwys cynnig cwnsela a therapi arall. Rydym wedi datblygu peth gwybodaeth ynghylch yr agweddau ymarferol yn dilyn marwolaeth ym myd amaeth, ac yn mawr obeithio y bydd hyn, ynghyd â’r llyfrau, yn gwneud pethau’n ychydig llai anodd, os nad yn haws. Rydym hefyd wedi datblygu hyfforddiant am ddim i’r rhai hynny yn y gymuned sydd am gefnogi eraill sydd wedi dioddef profedigaeth”.

To find out more about The DPJ Foundation, their picture book launch and their services, make sure to follow them on social media. You can find them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat and TikTok.

If you believe that individual children or families in your school would benefit from their own copy of a book, please contact the DPJ Foundation.

If you need mental health support, you can call them free on 0800 587 4262 or text them on 07860 048 799 (this number doesn’t accept calls).

I wybod mwy am waith Sefydliad DPJ, y lansiad o’i llyfrau lluniau a’n gwasanaethau, gwnewch yn siwr eich bod yn ein dilyn ar gyfryngau cymdeithasol yr wythnos hon. Gallwch ddod o hyd i ni ar Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Snapchat a TikTok.

Os ydych o’r farn y byddai plant neu deuluoedd unigol yn eich hysgol yn elwa ar dderbyn copi personol o lyfr, cysylltwch â Sefydliad DPJ os gwelwch yn dda.

Os oes angen arnoch gefnogaeth iechyd meddwl gallwch ein ffonio’n ddi-dâl ar 0800 587 4262 neu anfon neges testun ar 07860 048 799 (nid yw’r rhif hwn yn derbyn galwadau).

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

Talking Benches – young farmers & mental health

First published on the Powys Teaching Health Board website.

Thank you for giving us permission to repost.

As she steps down from her term as Chair of Montgomeryshire YFC (Young Farmers' Club), Bryony Wilson is urging young people to seek support if they are struggling with their mental health.

Bryony was on hand recently to reveal a Talking Bench which has been created by Berriew YFC’s Alfie Taylor. Thanks to funding from Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations, Young Farmers’ Clubs across Powys have been invited to design and create Talking Benches which it is hoped will become a community focal point:

“The benches are our way to tackle community isolation,” says Bryony. “In Berriew, for example, we have lots of people who live on their own. The benches will be placed at the heart of village life and they will have details of Helplines if people need some support.”

And, as part of the Welsh Government’s Help Us Help You campaign which is encouraging people to help protect their own mental health by accessing free support (see more below), she opened up about her own experiences:

“I struggled a couple of years ago. It all stemmed from going for a smear test and being told I had an abnormal result,” says Bryony. “Everything turned out to be just fine but it resulted in me feeling very anxious before I knew the result. I couldn’t sleep and I was having panic attacks day and night. It not only had a big impact on me but my family too as they didn’t know how to help me.

“The NHS was fantastic. The doctor reassured me that it was anxiety and he put me on medication. I can now recognise the symptoms which helps but I still take the medication. It’s important I’m open about it because people probably wouldn’t think I’d be someone who struggles as I come across as bubbly and confident.”

It was her own experiences of sleepless nights and panic attacks that led her to adopt MIND Cymru as the official charity for Montgomeryshire YFC. In addition, members have undertaken mental health training with The DPJ Foundation which is a Welsh mental health charity that supports those in agriculture and rural communities.

PAVO has also awarded a grant to Young Farmers’ Clubs which was invested in mental health peer support sessions by Mind Cymru as well as opportunities to try Tai Chi for relaxation.

“People close to me have struggled with depression,” adds Bryony. “My Uncle took his own life in 2020 so it’s really important that we encourage people to talk and come forward if they are struggling. I wouldn’t want another family going through what we have.

“Farmers, particularly, spend so much time on their own so the chances of opening up to anyone are even slimmer. I think it’s true that most men aren’t very good at talking about their feelings and I’m sure farmers are worse. They’re brought up to be strong, practical and tough. But actually, the strong and practical thing to do when you’re struggling is to get help,” adds Bryony.

The Welsh Government’s Help Us Help You campaign is encouraging people to make small changes to help them lead healthier lifestyles such as protecting your mental health.

Joy Garfitt is the Assistant Director for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities from the Powys Teaching Health Board. She said: “There are small things we can do to help protect our mental health at a time when levels of anxiety are higher. We know that poor mental health can be a problem within agriculture and in areas of rural isolation but there is free support available and we’d encourage anyone struggling to come forward.”

If you are struggling with your mental health, there is free support available to you. The NHS Wales SilverCloud online programme can help with anxiety, depression and stress. You can self-refer HERE. 

You can also self-refer to Ponthafren Association in North Powys for counselling on the organisation's website. In Mid Powys you can contact Mid & North Powys Mind, and in the south of the county Brecon & District Mind or Ystradgynlais Mind.

Let us know what you think of the Talking Benches initiative in the comments below. 

We love to hear from you!

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

Sharing the Load at The DPJ Foundation

Kate, Emma & Kay of the DPJ Foundation

At our next Powys Agri Wellbeing Support network meeting in September we will welcome Kate Miles, the new Charity Manager at farming charity The DPJ Foundation, to the group.

The DPJ Foundation was set up in Pembrokeshire in July 2016 following the death of agricultural contractor Daniel Picton-Jones. Daniel’s suicide rocked the community, and his wife Emma realised very quickly the lack of support that was available for those struggling with poor mental health in rural communities. Over the past four years the charity has grown to cover the whole of Wales, providing bespoke counselling services to farmers under the banner Share the Load, and mental health awareness training sessions to an increasing number of organisations working in this sector.

Kate started work with the charity just a few weeks ago, but is already settling in to her now role, as we found out when we caught up recently.

What is your role at The DPJ Foundation?

I'm the charity manager, so that covers the financial management, the marketing and business development, liaison with funders, potential funders, and partners and volunteer management. I also manage Kay Helyar, our new training manager, who works part-time and who’ll be delivering our training. I'm also the ultimate “troubleshooter” if there are safeguarding queries or concerns around the service. 

Kate Miles, DPJ Foundation's charity manager

Tell us more about the service you offer at The DPJ Foundation

There are three main strands to our service:

1. Awareness raising 

We have largely done this through social media (Facebook and Twitter). So every day we post an uplifting message with an agricultural related photo to make people aware of the telephone number for our Share the Load service. We also do talks in Young Farmers’ Clubs, Round Table, smallholders and various other groups of various descriptions. We are about to launch a campaign that ran successfully last year calling for knitters to knit bobble hats for us that we can sell to raise funds as well as raising awareness of our work.

2. Mental Health Awareness training 

We've recently concluded six sessions online. So we were delivering face-to-face training, but we've now moved to online delivery due to the pandemic which has positives and negatives. We find that the dropout rate is higher, but it means that we can obviously run a lot more sessions and potentially reach far more people.

3. Share the Load – counselling service

This is the main strand. Share the Load is our 24/7 call line (0800 587 4262) and we also operate by text. It's staffed by volunteers who have received training from the Samaritans and they provide a listening service initially. Some of these calls will then lead to referrals to a counsellor. People should receive contact within 24 to 48 hours from a qualified counsellor to make an appointment for a meeting within a week. We will offer as many sessions as that person needs but six is our core offer and generally most are concluded within that period. 

We have a panel of counsellors across Wales. Some are able to offer counselling in Welsh as well as in English, some are able to work with under 18s. 

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training for the volunteers

Do you work with children?

Generally, no. We would only do that if the school counselling hasn't worked or isn’t an option. That would be our first route because there's funded counselling already in place and also in terms of the holistic well-being for that individual it is quite important that the whole system is there in place to support them.

Saying that, we do have some counsellors who are able to work with younger people and we have some who are also able to offer support online and / or by text. But in general it's the face-to-face counselling although obviously a lot of this has switched to telephone during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Where does the face-to-face counselling take place?

We try to work with the individual. So if they want that counselling to take place on their farm, for example, then we have counsellors who can provide outreach and will do that. It might be that it's at a neutral location or it might be at the usual rooms that the counsellor uses. We try to make it as accessible as possible for the individual so that they will take up the counselling that is on offer and get the help they need.

Our counsellors are registered with the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (or other accredited bodies). So they've all been through the training. They are paid counsellors who have their own qualifications and insurance.

Tell us about the Regional Champions

As well as the 20 - 26 volunteers who staff the Share the Load helpline we have about the same number of Regional Champion volunteers, who are our eyes and ears on the ground in the community, including several in Powys. So for example they're making sure that there's a poster up in the local pub or feed merchants through to giving talks and collecting donations, but again, their role has changed during the pandemic because they're not able to get out and about in the same way. But equally as a lot of them are farmers, they are out and about because they are key workers, so they're still working. 

Fundraising presentation

Do the counsellors offer practical as well as mental health support?

Just mental health. There are organisations like Tir Dewi, the Farming Community Network and RABI who offer practical and financial support. If somebody's looking for practical help then we would signpost to one of those other organisations. When someone accesses our service we send a welcome email which includes a list of useful contact telephone numbers including the above organisations and others such as the NHS CALL helpline and Farmwell.

What are some of the key themes coming out of the counselling sessions?

Obviously the counselling sessions themselves are totally confidential. Broadly speaking though we have seen during the lockdown an increase in the number of young people accessing our service. And I think that's been echoed with other mental health services from what I can gather. There's been a lot of negative chatter on social media around young people breaking the lockdown whereas, in fact, there's been a lot of good work done by young people as well. So a young person I imagine could feel quite got at throughout this time really.

Then physical health problems can have an impact on mental health, perhaps even leading to self-harm. I also know we've now provided domestic violence training for all our volunteers on the basis that we were seeing an increase in these cases.

The farming community is often regarded as ‘hard-to-reach’. What are you doing differently to engage so successfully?

We are very focused on the industry and we try to use people within that community. Many of our volunteers come from a farming background whilst others are from a mental health background. They have an understanding of the community. Also some people who've accessed our service tend to become advocates for us – they share their story as they want others to benefit as they have.

It's really important to be where farmers are and that might be their home, it might be their farm or where they actually go to trade. To reach everybody we need to be in all those. Social media is great because it reaches people who are on social media, but there's a large demographic that aren't and so it's trying then to use more traditional means. So for example, we've got the bale stickers which are popping up across Wales at the moment and it's about drip feeding the message so that people who want help almost can't say they don't know where to go. 

A DPJ Foundation training session

How does the mental health awareness training fit into the overall picture?

We've probably reached around a thousand people in total since we've been in existence over the last four years. So people will be aware of different types of mental health disorder and have a very initial introduction to suicide and suicide prevention. And our real objective is that they come away feeling more ready to have conversations with other people about their mental health, but also we include a section about keeping themselves safe and how to look after their own mental health. So it's almost like a preventative session in some respects.

We're training people who are working in that farming community, so Young Farmers’ Clubs, vets, Animal Health officers, feed reps, etc. Hopefully after the training they feel able and equipped to have a conversation with somebody, or leave one of our flyers on a kitchen table, or know to ask our advice about what steps to take next. We would love to be even more successful and we really want to be in a position where everybody knows that we exist (although we aren't quite there yet). 

Many thanks to Kate for telling us all about her new role at The DPJ Foundation. 

If you want to find out more, or are interested in volunteering, you can contact Kate by emailing kate@thedpjfoundation.co.uk or ringing 07984 169 652.

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

Meeting the Farming Community Network in Powys

Mark Suthern, Chairman of the Farming Community Network

Earlier this autumn Freda Lacey (Senior Officer Health & Wellbeing team) and I joined the Farming Community Network for a Harvest Service of Thanksgiving and AGM at the Royal Welsh Showground near Builth Wells. This was the prelude to a 2-day national conference for the charity’s volunteers, staff and trustees.

Christopher Jones MBE founded FCN (then known as the Farming Crisis Network), in 1995. This followed two decades of falling farming prices in the 1980s and 90s, which led to a rise in the number of farmer suicides. Unfortunately, suicide cases in the farming community are still some of the highest recorded in the UK, and today the charity is increasingly called upon to support members of the farming community across England and Wales.

The PAVO mental health team first worked with David Williams, the FCN Regional Director for Wales, and himself a farmer in Monmouthshire, late last year. We hosted Ramble with a Big Cheese, a farming engagement activity in Powys, where we listened to people close to, or working within, the farming community to hear first-hand some of the current issues. Our aim is to make sure that people, not just farming families but support organisations, know where they can best access support and help around their mental health if they’re based in Powys.

Photo © Farming Community Network

Walking with farmers

FCN has a network of over 400 volunteers across England and Wales, many of whom are involved in farming, or have close links with agriculture, and therefore have a great understanding of the issues that farmers, farm workers and farming families regularly face. These volunteers provide free, confidential, pastoral and practical support to anyone who seeks help, regardless of whether the issue is personal or business-related. They will "walk with" anyone who seeks support and help them find a positive way through their problems - for as long as it is needed. Issues range from financial difficulties, animal disease, mental health and family disputes.

In addition to local groups of volunteers, FCN runs a confidential national helpline and an e-helpline, which is open every day of the year from 7am - 11pm (tel: 03000 111 999).

David welcomed us to the first FCN conference in Wales. He said, “We can live in our own bubble in the farming world and think that we are the only one with issues. But you will find that a lot of people are suffering and need the help that we supply.”

Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales

The FCN has its roots in Christian theology and ethics. One of the Mid Wales volunteers, the Reverend Ifor Williams (“I used to milk cows”) led the harvest service, whilst Dr Christianne Glossop, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales, spoke about the importance of faith to agricultural and rural communities.

FCN Chair, Mark Suthern, described a “period of history repeating itself.” First there was the agricultural revolution, when pioneers set about farming for the first time following centuries of a hunter-gathering lifestyle. During the Industrial Revolution many farmers were displaced by machines and switched to factory work in rapidly expanding urban areas. More recently there has been a Green Revolution, with new pesticides impacting on agriculture. And now we are in a digital and agri-tech led revolution – another massive period of change for the farming community.

The farmer of today has to be a finance expert, a frustrated engineer, a soil scientist, a stockman, a vet and an environmentalist all rolled into one.

Mark asked, “how do we help those frightened by a period of change? We need to harness our strengths and support people through this.” He talked us through the current challenges for FCN, gave a summary of last year’s casework, and highlighted in more detail some of the problems presenting.

David Williams, FCN Regional Director for Wales, addresses AGM guests

Planning for the future

Two of FCN’s vital tasks for the coming year are:

• To expand the helpline services.
• Training people to have confidence to engage in those important conversations with farming families.

Mark concluded by saying: “it is about transferring our values and beliefs to listen to farming families and help them through this long transition period where there are opportunities but also challenges.”

Powys FCN Volunteer Coordinator Pat Borland speaks at the Harvest Service

Farming Community Network volunteers

It was an excellent opportunity for us at PAVO to meet and find out more about some of the work that FCN volunteers are doing to support farming families. Some volunteers, with experience of farming and their own mental health issues, now give talks to local farming groups to raise awareness and reduce the stigma.

Whilst at the AGM I also met Mid Wales Volunteer Coordinator Pat Borland, who will be writing a separate blog post about the work she does supporting volunteers across Powys. Earlier this year Owen Griffkin, (Mental Health Participation Officer) went to the Farming Community Network’s Powys volunteers’ event and met with the people who deal with enquiries from farmers in crisis in Powys.

Some of the enquiries the volunteers receive can be wellbeing related and they said it would be good to have more information about specialised services in the area. Owen worked on an information pack specifically for the volunteers, with a handy info sheet with lots of local organisations featured. The idea is that the volunteers can have it ready-to-hand when on a call with somebody, so that they can quickly find the right help. We also collated leaflets from all the local groups (such as Ponthafren Association and the Mind centres across Powys) to help the volunteers find out more details about each organisation and what services they offer. 

We handed over the completed packs at the FCN’s AGM so that the volunteers can start using them straight away. David Williams, Wales’ Regional Director of FCN said, ‘I am sure this will be a very useful tool for the Powys group.’

If you want to find out more about volunteering with FCN in Powys then contact David by emailing: David@fcn.org.uk

If you need support, then ring the helpline no: 03000 111 999 (7am – 11pm daily) or email: help@fcn.org.uk