Closing the Rural Wellbeing Gap: A United Effort to Prevent Suicide in Farming
Across the UK, dedicated organisations are working tirelessly to protect the mental health and wellbeing of people living and working in rural and farming communities. Each plays a vital role – providing training, support, advocacy and safe spaces for conversations that can be difficult, but ultimately lifesaving.
In recent years, important progress has been made in recognising the realities of poor mental health within farming. However, conversations about suicide and access to education around suicide prevention continue to lag behind.
With the launch of our new eLearning, we are proud to be part of a growing movement committed to closing this critical gap in rural wellbeing. A movement strengthened by the work of the following organisations…
DPJ Foundation
The DPJ Foundation continues to be a vital lifeline for rural Wales, offering compassionate, practical support shaped by the realities of farming life. Through their Mental Health Awareness Training, which includes suicide prevention and the Foundation’s clear, accessible SHARE system, they give people the confidence to start conversations that could save a life. Simple aide‑memoire cards reinforce the training, ensuring help feels within reach even in difficult moments.
DPJ also delivers specialist bereavement training, understanding that those left behind are themselves at increased risk and need thoughtful, targeted support. Their commitment extends far beyond training rooms, the DPJ Foundation plays an active role in suicide prevention forums across Wales, even chairing the North Wales forum to ensure that rural experiences shape strategic decisions and that frontline learning is continually strengthened.
Their Share the Load helpline offers both crisis support and early intervention, while their sensitive postvention work provides steady, proactive care for individuals and communities navigating the aftermath of suicide. Suicide awareness is woven throughout their outreach, whether through social media that models safe, supportive language or through their Health Hub lorries, which offer a welcoming route to help for those struggling with suicidal thoughts.
To learn more, email training@dpjfoundation.co.uk or CALL 07984 169652.
Rural Support
Northern Ireland’s farming heroes Rural Support play an essential role in safeguarding mental wellbeing and suicide prevention across NI’s farming community.
The charity delivers a wide range of initiatives that strengthen prevention, early intervention and postvention across rural communities. Their Mission Farm Strong travel to marts across Northern Ireland, encouraging farmers and their families to pause, reflect and prioritise their physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, supported by an extensive partnership network.
Rural Support’s commitment extends into profound moments of loss. Their Life Beyond programme provides sensitive, proactive postvention support to families affected by suicide, farm accidents or bereavement and has already supported more than 100 families navigating some of the most difficult experiences a rural community can face.
The introduction of a dedicated Suicide Prevention Officer later this year will further strengthen their work, improving early intervention, reducing stigma and increasing access to confidential support for farmers, farm families and rural communities across the Provence.
To learn more, email info@ruralsupport.org.uk or CALL 028 8676 0040
Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation
The Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation, a small charity, co-founded by Kate Scott and Lewis Hunter is helping strengthen suicide prevention in rural and agricultural communities in Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. They offer practical, accessible training, grounded in the realities of country life.
Their TAS10 – Talking About Suicide: 10 Tools course is a CPD‑certified programme focused specifically on suicide awareness and prevention. Available both in person and online, TAS10 can be offered as a concise 90‑minute session or a more in‑depth three‑hour course, providing flexible, practical tools that help people feel more confident talking about suicide and supporting someone who may be at risk.
This blend of high‑quality training and rural‑focused delivery ensures that help feels accessible, relevant and rooted in community need.
To learn more, email kate.scott@rcmhfoundation.org
RSABI
In Scotland, our friends at RSABI have started delivering free suicide‑prevention training to Scotland’s farmers and crofters through their LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). This two‑day, in‑depth course equips participants with the practical skills to recognise when someone may be thinking about suicide, offer a compassionate and skilled intervention and work together with the person to develop a safety plan that connects them to further support.
The training is rooted in the realities of rural and farming life and gives participants the confidence to start difficult conversations and support someone in crisis.
As part of its wider commitment to suicide prevention, RSABI has partnered with The Canmore Trust, a Scotland-based suicide prevention charity specialising in providing tailored support to individuals and groups – on a 1:1 basis or within workplaces, colleges or universities. RSABI staff have received training focused specifically on workplace postvention and, with guidance and in‑person support from The Canmore Trust, have already delivered one such support.
To learn more, email mentalhealthtraining@rsabi.org.uk.
The commitment shown by charities like The DPJ Foundation, Rural Support, Rural Communities Mental Health Foundation and RSABI demonstrates what is possible when training is shaped around the realities of rural life across all four nations.
If you know of any other suicide prevention or awareness training available for those in agriculture, please get in touch. Together, we can help share vital support where it’s needed most.
