Rural Community Gateway

The emergency fund is not for farm businesses but aims to provide support for people who are experiencing hardship as a result of the current Foot and Mouth outbreak in Surrey. It is open to all livestock farmers in Scotland who can demonstrate need as a result of the Foot and Mouth movement restrictions.

RSABI Chief Executive Maurice Hankey said, "We know that inability to sell stock as expected can have serious repercussions not only for a livestock producer’s business, but also for their household. The charity cannot provide help to a farm business, but our concern is to help the people behind the business to stay on their feet until circumstances improve.

"We are pleased to be receiving assistance from a fund initiated by HRH The Prince of Wales, and this, combined with other funds made available by the charity, allows us to reach out to help the people most affected. We would therefore welcome applications from individuals suffering personal hardship as a result of the ongoing situation."

You can download an application form from the RSABI website. You can also obtain an application form by calling 0131 472 4166 or emailing rsabi@rsabi.org.uk.

RSABI wants to be better known

RSABI have launched a campaign to raise awareness of their organisation. Although many people could benefit from the charity, many are unaware of it or don’t know how to get in touch.

RSABI is a Scottish charity aimed at helping people who have worked on the land, including farmers, farm workers, crofters, forestry workers, gamekeepers and their dependents.

Chief Executive Maurice Hankey explains, "RSABI needs to be better known throughout the whole of Scotland, and across the organisations we support. There are too many individuals who are in need of our assistance but do not know we exist or how to reach us, and many people who may be willing to support the charity if they had more knowledge of its work."

The campaign will include a new website, press advertising, competitions and events.

Campaign has three goals

Maurice Hankey explains that the campaign has three main goals:

"The first is to highlight that the charity’s name is now simply RSABI, not ‘the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution’ as it was previously known. The change came about after restructuring and incorporation in 2005 because the word ‘institution’ is reserved in law for academic establishments. 

"Secondly we want people across Scotland to know that the charity is here to help them.  We currently support over 600 individuals every year but these are not evenly distributed around the country and in some areas the charity is scarcely known.  Our policy of offering strict confidentiality to our beneficiaries means that we cannot highlight case studies to gain publicity, and individuals’ own reluctance to tell people they receive charity help means that word spreads very slowly.

"Finally, although the charity started life supporting only tenant farmers and their dependents, we are now able to help a much wider group of individuals who are experiencing hardship. We can now accept applications from anyone who has been engaged in a land-based occupation in Scotland for at least 10 years, as well as from those who have relied on such people."

If you want to know more about RSABI and how they can help, if you are concerned about someone who needs help, or you would like to support the charity you can find further information on the RSABI website or call 0131 472 4166.

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