Cake and a cuppa to help your mental health

This year’s theme of the event whch runs from May 9-15 is loneliness and the agricultural mental health charity is encouraging communities to come together to combat loneliness and connect over an afternoon tea.

They are calling for people in Wales to don their aprons, dust off their cake tins and get baking and then – most importantly – to share their wares with their neighbours and friends over a cup of tea.

The charity's manager Kate Miles said: “Loneliness is a feeling that we will all experience at some point during our lifetimes. We can experience it at any time, and we don’t have to be alone to feel lonely.

"Feeling that you are not understood can lead to feeling lonely and isolated and unfortunately, many farmers in Wales today feel that they are not appreciated. We know that feeling lonely can impact negatively on your mental health and that people who struggle with their mental health can feel more isolated because of this.

"As a charity that supports mental health in agriculture, we wanted to try to break this cycle and do something that would help to tackle loneliness, especially in rural communities, which is where our Afternoon Tea comes in.”

“If you're at school, at work or at home and want to get involved, it's as simple as putting the kettle on, putting on your apron and getting baking.

"You can support the farmers in your area by buying Welsh eggs, butter and milk as well as flour from your local shop to show your appreciation and even give them some cake or invite them for a cuppa.

"This is a chance to bring people together, enjoy a cup of tea and a cake while having a chat and catching up and at the same time helping beat loneliness.”

To get involved, visit the DPJ Foundation website www.thedpjfoundation.co.uk/events or register your event by emailing elen@thedpjfoundation.co.uk with the date, time and venue and whether your event is open to the public.