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MENTAL H EALTH Mental health - what has changed?


The FUW made a commitment at the Royal Welsh Show in 2 0 1 7 to keep the spotlight on mental health issues for as long as it remains a problem in our rural communities. We are now approaching the fourth year of awareness raising and doing everything we can to help break the stigma, so once again, together with the leading farming charities in Wales - we took a look at what has changed, how far we have come and what issues still remain.


Whilst some progress has been made in raising awareness, what has changed over the last 1 0 years when it comes to mental health? How many people are now affected, that we know of, compared to 1 0 years ago?


Emma Picton-Jones, founder of the DPJ


Foundation said: “Mental health is only just starting to be recognised. In the 1 9 8 0 s people started to recognise that it was a medical issue that needed to be looked at. A lot of research has been done in recent years and looking at it statistically, there are a lot more mental health issues now than there have ever been before. But is that because we’re now more aware of it, that we’re far more understanding of it and that we recognise it far more now than we did before?


“Over the last 1 0 years things have changed dramatically,


as wonderful as it is being online, it is very different from being face to face with people.We moved very quickly into a world where we’re run by social media and we’re living very isolated lives. Things that years ago would have been done in large groups of people are now quite easily done by 1 or 2 people.


“We are leading very different lives to what we did 1 0


years ago. There has been such a rapid change and we’re not meant for that.We’re not meant to live isolated lives, we’re not meant to do everything through technology, as human beings we are meant to be in groups and live in packs with people and communicate and socialise. Our circumstances have got a lot to play in this in how our mental health is affected.


“The social aspect of agriculture has changed the sad news


of some agriculture marts closing with some of them getting no entries at all during the week. People are just not going to markets the way they used to with a lot of things being done privately. So, I’m not sure if things have got worse or if we are just more aware of the problems than before.”


David Williams, Wales Regional Director


for the Farming Community Network, added: “Statistics have been put out there saying that a quarter of the population suffer from mental health issues at some time in their lives. There is much more awareness of the mental health issues in society at large and particularly in the agriculture sector. “Farmers have always been the kind of people who just get


on with stuff, rather than sharing the problems they might have.We are ironically much more connected than we used to be but in many ways more alone.Whether it’s a worse problem or just more highlighted is something we don’t know. “What we are also finding is that there are more


organisations now designed to support people through mental health issues that are non‐NHS. If you’ve ever tried to get support through the NHS it’s very difficult to get help in a reasonable period of time. The waiting list is so long.What we need to ensure as a group of people, is to develop these facilities ourselves and not worry about what we think ought to be happening. “You can talk to people who you think have no issue at all


with their mental health, but when you delve deeper into it there are a lot of people hurting out there who need our support.”


But have we come far enough to deal with this issue?


Gareth Davies, Chief Executive Officer, Tir


Dewi said: “There is a huge proportion of those who are struggling with their mental health who still don’t recognise they have an issue ‐ and that’s step 1 . Farmers will see it as the normal stresses of the job, because it’s a very intensive, long job.


Y TIR


“We conducted a survey recently in Powys and 5 1% of


farmers saw mental health as an issue affecting them. If that was a car parts factory in Bridgend or a call centre in Swansea there would be an outrage. But because it’s farmers, who are a group of people who are naturally isolated and known for just getting on with it, there seems to be little said. “The second step, when you recognise that you have a


mental health issue, is asking for help. And that is huge. Again, our survey showed that 6 7% of farmers might not ask for help because of embarrassment, the risk of shame, or their reputation. That’s two‐thirds of farmers who might not ask for help and 5 8% said they don’t know what help is available! “We have an awful lot of work to do in raising awareness


of who we are, what we’re able to do and that there is help out there. And that’s help in English andWelsh. Because another barrier is that people think there isn’t any provision inWelsh. Between us we have a lot of work to do to show farmers that we are here for them and that there is help.”


To find out more about mental health and what you can do to help yourself and others , listen to our recent seminar again here: www.fuw.org.uk/en/rwas‐seminars


Meet Kate Miles,DPJ Foundation Charity Manager


THERE have been lots of changes at the DPJ Foundation over the summer. Our founder Emma Picton‐Jones is taking a step back (but will still be volunteering) and I have joined as the new Charity Manager. To introduce myself a little, I grew up on a beef and sheep hill farm near Neath and despite stints in various cities working as a solicitor I always come back to farming and now live on


a sheep farm in Gower. You might have seen me before atWales YFC or PenderynMarket (where I assist at the busier sales). I am also joined by a new TrainingManager, Kay Helyar who will be developing and delivering our mental health training. Kay’s last role was as the Head of Housing in a Housing Association in Cardiff. She devised training for their staff and contractors to help them spot the signs of poor mental health amongst tenants. Kay is from the Newport, Gwent area but is in the process of moving to Pembrokeshire with her husband and dogs. We have also recruited two new trustees to our


Board: Gwynfor Thomas andMaralene Griffiths, both fromMontgomeryshire and both well known within their respective communities.


We have really missed the shows this summer. From the local shows to the RoyalWelsh they provide a much‐needed opportunity to catch‐up and let off steam; without them the farming


Samaritans: 1 1 6 1 2 3 or


Welsh Language Line (Llinell Gymraeg): 0 8 0 8 1 6 4 0 1 2 3


DPJ Foundation: Call 0 8 0 0 5 8 7 4 2 6 2 / Text 0 7 8 6 0 0 4 8 7 9 9


calendar has seemed almost empty.We have been keeping in touch with our volunteers and delivering training using Zoom and SocialMedia. However, it’s not the same as being in the same space, rubbing shoulders and shaking hands.


We had planned a tractor run which wasn’t able to take place in the usual sense, so instead


we took it online and received videos and photos from acrossWales as well as from the rest of the UK, Ireland, Canada and even New Zealand. If you haven’t had a chance to watch it, you can find it on our Facebook page.


We have been overwhelmed by the support that we have received from supporters


undertaking individual and group challenges to raise funds. Thank you everyone who has partaken in an egg, sugar and shot, daily press‐up or other challenge as well as everyone who has donated. Our next challenge will be calling for knitters to knit our very popular bobble hats. If you can knit, then please get involved.


This summer we received more calls to our Share the Load call line than over the same


period last year.We know that this year has been especially difficult for many with the weather extremes and Coronavirus. However, talking to someone independent can be the release that is needed: all calls and texts are confidential and our volunteers are available 2 4 /7 .


I would like to end by thanking Emma for her energy and drive in creating the DPJ


Foundation and making it what it is today. I personally don’t feel we can thank her enough for founding this service which has already provided a lifeline to farmers and their families across Wales.


Mind Cymru: 0 3 0 0 1 2 3


3 3 9 3 / info@mind.org.uk / Text 8 6 4 6 3


FCN: 0 3 0 0 0 1 1 1 9 9 9 RABI:


0 8 0 8 2 8 1 9 4 9 0


Tir Dewi:


0 8 0 0 1 2 1 4 7 2 2


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