The DPJ Foundation

The DPJ Foundation was set up in July 2016 following the death by suicide of Daniel Picton-Jones by Daniel's wife Emma. Emma saw first hand the lack of support for those suffering with poor mental health in rural communities, so decided to use her family's and Daniel’s story to help others. There are three main strands to our service: 1. Support through specific local counselling & talking to someone who understands (our Share the Load helpline); 2. Awareness through social media and events discussing mental health; and 3. Mental Health Awareness and Bereavement and Grief Awareness training. Share the Load is our free, confidential 24/7 helpline which operates specifically for those in the agricultural community and is available in English and Welsh. This was set up because of the long waiting times associated with counselling and the difficulty in accessing support. We have over 30 Samaritans trained volunteers who take calls and texts from people across the country. Calls are treated confidentially and volunteers are discrete and non-judgmental. Some callers will choose to receive professional counselling and we provide that within a week. We use all means possible to spread awareness and get people talking about mental health. We know that by challenging the stigma that exists surrounding poor mental health, we will save lives. We have been working with YFCs, the farming unions, vets, agri colleges and agri-businesses since 2016 to start conversations about mental health. The concept of mental health awareness is to equip the community to support each other, to be confident in spotting the signs of poor mental health and signposting onward. We provide Mental Health Awareness training and Bereavement and Grief Awareness training – bespoke training packages we have created and which have been delivered to over 2,000 people with excellent feedback. The DPJ Foundation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Registered Charity Number 1173063.