A new collaboration between the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW), the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and the DPJ Foundation is set to focus on mental health in rural communities.
The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between young people living in rural areas and those who are involved with agriculture and their local football clubs.
The organisations said the partnership could result in wellness hubs being set up in football clubs across rural Wales to help those living in farming communities with their mental health.
Chief executive of the FAW, Noel Mooney, said that the association wants to utilise the network of football clubs across Wales to ensure that the mental health of those who feel isolated in rural areas is supported.
Mooney said the association’s work alongside the FUW and the DPJ Foundation aims to identify areas across Wales that could benefit from having such hubs.
“We would like these clubs to become a hub where people can come together and see what a better life could look like in terms of mental and physical health,” he said.
“We want to work with the likes of the NHS and the Welsh government to try and put together services that allow a young farmer, or whoever’s involved in the football club, to have somewhere to go to talk about the issues that they face.
“We’re not experts in this field, but what we can do is bring people together.
“By working in collaboration with the FUW and the DPJ Foundation, and by using our network of clubs across Wales, we can work together towards our aim of ensuring that Wales is a happier and healthier country in the future.”
Footballing farmers
FUW senior county executive officer, Emyr Wyn Davies, said mental health continues to be an issue for farmers and those living in rural communities.
“Whilst we have seen some progress over recent years in breaking down the stigma attached to poor mental health, much work remains to be done,” he said.
The DPJ Foundation aims to support those in the agricultural sector suffering from poor mental health and its charity manager, Katie Miles, said she was grateful to both the FUW and the FAW for supporting this opportunity to focus on mental health and well-being in rural communities.
“We know that for many, football provides a chance to get off the farm and to engage with other people around a shared interest,” she said.
“We have the ability to train people in these clubs who are in their social setting, with their peers, to be able to look after each other and ultimately what they can do to look after themselves. Football can be another tool in the mental health toolbox and could help so many.”
