Farming talk: RABI has crucial role to play to support wellbeing of farming people
The combines are starting to roll across the grain fields in Shropshire, bringing in wheat to make bread, barley to make beer, oil seed rape to be processed for rapeseed oil, oats for porridge and oatcakes.
The hot weather has accelerated the harvest this year, the climate has an enormous effect on growing crops and livestock throughout the world, water and sunshine in the right quantities at the right time help farming produce food for us all.
Working long hours often alone can cause feelings of anxiety and uncertainty, along with the increasing complex and challenging pressures of farming. The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) has a crucial role to support the wellbeing of farming people.
It exists to provide guidance, practical care and financial support to those in need within the farming community.
After the results of the Big Farming Survey were analysed, it highlighted the worrying low levels of mental well being in farming people. The free, confidential counselling is delivered by accredited counsellors, who all understand the problems in farming. It is available 24/7 on helpline 0800 188 4444.
The Shropshire committee is grateful to all the individuals, businesses who have supported two recent events. The dinner with Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire shepherdess, gave a glimpse of her busy life in the Dales, and her ideas of one of the future uses of wool to help the environment. The promise auction was led by David Giles and in total £22,500 was raised for RABI.
An afternoon tea with a glorious garden setting was enjoyed by many in the sunshine. We are grateful to Mr W Blum Gentilomo of Eaton Mascott Hall where we raised £690 for funds to be spent in the county.
We are grateful to Wallflowers.uk for offering the donations for teas to RABI, bookings are essential on their website. It is Flower Farmers Big Weekend on August 6-7 and there will the opportunity to wander through the fields of flowers, enjoy homemade cakes and talk flowers.
It has been so good to meet up at shows again. Look out for RABI at Burwarton and Minsterley, you are welcome to come and chat.
If you are interested in knowing more about RABI, please contact us on 07876 492839 or kate.jones@rabi.org.uk. Shropshire regional manager Kate Jones will be delighted to give further information.
Christine Downes is a Shropshire RABI committee member
