Supporting the Farming Community in Mid Wales

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 1:40 pm on 17 July 2019.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 1:40, 17 July 2019

You raise a very important point and something that has been of great concern to me, probably since I came into portfolio, and, as we've seen the Brexit fiasco played out, it's something that I've become even more concerned about. I've already had those discussions with not just the Minister for Health and Social Services, but other colleagues in Government. 

Last year, I gave £500,000 to three rural charities following the drought. There were lots of concerns in relation to the mental health of farmers following the drought. I've also given some additional funding to the DPJ Foundation, which you may be aware of. The DPJ Foundation have, I believe, an amazing counselling scheme, where they go into the homes of farmers, because farmers are very often isolated, and they work on a one-to-one basis in the farmer's own home. We're rolling that out. The funding that we've given as a Government to the DPJ Foundation means that they're now rolling out that scheme in north Wales.

I've also put a bid in for some funding in relation to mental health counselling and provision in the latest European Union transition bid. So, I'm waiting to hear if that's been successful.