A support service that aims to help people in agriculture struggling with mental health is now operating in Powys.
The DPJ Foundation was launched by Emma Picton-Jones after her husband, Daniel, an agricultural contractor, took his own life, while she slept, in July 2016.
At the time Emma was just 27 and the couple had two young children, but a note left by Daniel inspired the teacher to try and help others struggling with similar problems to her partner of five years.
She then launched the DPJ Foundation to support people in rural communities with poor mental health, especially men in the agricultural sector, which has one of the highest suicide rates.
The foundation has been working in Pembrokeshire, where Emma lives, and from January 1 has been rolled out to Powys and other areas in Wales.
“It pretty much came about because of not knowing where to put the funeral donations and also as there was not really anything as regards mental health in the agricultural sector. I pretty much instantly decided to try and do something to support people in agriculture,” said now 30-year-old Emma.
Emma’s aim is that the DPJ Foundation, which provides free counselling to those from the agricultural community, will be better able to respond to the needs of the community.
“It is a fully funded service for anybody who has got any kind of agricultural link, farm workers, people who work for feed companies, Young Farmers’ Clubs, farmer’s wives, children.
“We have a telephone number that operates 24 hours, staffed by volunteers, that takes down all the basic information, and can make an appointment with a counsellor. We also offer outreach counsellors, so we can send a counsellor to the home, to the farm, within a week of that phone call.
“We also offer online and telephone counselling as we know people may not want to, or have the time, to make an appointment. Young contractors could spend all day working on a tractor.”
The telephone volunteers, who are all trained by the Samaritans, all have knowledge, of the agricultural sector and issues such as bovine tuberculosis (TB), which Emma said is important.
She said: “The volunteers are amazing people. Some are from an agricultural background and some aren’t but have learnt an awful lot about TB and milk prices. Awareness of the impact TB can have is important.”
Now the foundation is operating in Powys Emma is keen for people to know that it is available to provide support: “We need people to spread the word about and put posters up.”
The DPJ Foundation’s call line is available on 0800 5874262 or by text on 07860 048799.
You can also find out more using their website.
For the full story, see this week’s edition of The Brecon & Radnor Express.