Ashmole & Co support those in the agricultural sector with poor mental health

Ashmole & Co, one of south Wales’ largest Accountancy firms, has launched a year of fundraising in aid of the DPJ Foundation, to help support those in the agricultural sector, and living rurally, with poor mental health.

With thirteen offices spread across rural mid and south Wales, the staff of Ashmole & Co were unanimously in favour of supporting a charity that raised awareness and gave support to those with mental health problems.

Carwyn Morgan, Ashmole & Co Partner in the Carmarthen and Newcastle Emlyn offices, said, “Our rural clients confide in us as their accountant and we are perhaps the first they turn to when financial or family concerns impact on their lives and mental health. We will use this year of working with the DPJ Foundation to learn ourselves how to recognise these mental health issue signs and in future we will be able to signpost these clients of ours to professional help and support with their mental health. We hope our clients and friends will help us raise as much money as possible through collections and events for this extremely worthy cause.”

The DPJ Foundation was set up in Pembrokeshire in 2016 following the death of Daniel Picton-Jones. Daniel’s suicide rocked the community, his wife Emma realised very quickly the lack of support that was available for those suffering with poor mental health in rural communities. It was announced at Daniel’s funeral that a fund would be set up that would provide support to those, like Daniel, who were suffering from poor mental health. It became clear that there was a lack of awareness around mental health, everyone had been touched by suicide but very little was being done to combat the issue.  

Daniel was an agricultural contractor and was well-liked and known throughout the community. His strong ties with the agricultural sector coupled with Emma being a farmer’s daughter made this an obvious route for targeting support. It also became clear that agriculture carried the highest rate of suicide, yet little was being done to help this. Emma has used Daniel as a basis for everything the Foundation has gone forward to do. Daniel was a quiet character with lots of love and care for those around him, he would hate the idea of anyone suffering or feeling the way he did. In his name the DPJ Foundation is using Daniel’s story to help others.

Kate Miles, Manager of the DPJ Foundation, said, “We are very grateful to Ashmole & Co for choosing to help raise funds and awareness of the foundation over the next 12 months. As part of this year of events we will work with the staff and partners in the accountancy firm to help them be better equipped in spotting the signs of poor mental health in their clients and give them the confidence to guide those clients to the correct services in order to help.”

As part of the fundraising activities, Ashmole & Co will be doing a sponsored walk along the Pembrokeshire coastal path, dress-down Fridays once a month and some staff will be taking part in running events including the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Any donations to support Ashmole & Co’s fundraising would be very gratefully received. Here is the link to the Just Giving page, or you can donate directly at any office:  https://www.justgiving.com/page/ashmoleandco-dpj?utm_source=copyLink&utm_medium=one_page&utm_content=page/ashmoleandco-dpj&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=89627aeb1d444c8e8ee0f5aaf4c82dbf