This was partly due to the unprecedented demand for its Return to School campaign and the roll-out of farming-focused professional mental health support services.
Alicia Chivers, chief executive of the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Fund (RABI), said: Providing support to more than 3,800 people, the Return to School campaign also supported our ambition to reach four times more farming people by 2024.
This campaign represents an important step towards breaking down the barriers around asking for help, which is still too often viewed as a weakness, rather than a strength.
These farming-focused services complement our financial support. They are immensely important in normalising the conversation around how we are feeling and encouraging people to access early, preventative well-being support.
Delivered
In 2022, RABIs regional service delivery teams have ensured farming people received 366,561 of additional benefit entitlements which would otherwise have been lost.
Delivering such an extensive range of holistic, wraparound support services, which cover well-being, financial support and practical advice and guidance, is dependent on robust resourcing something RABI is privileged to be in the unique position to have.
Part of RABIs strength is that our Council of Trustees have committed to a structured programme of investment to support the farming community long-term.
Being able to fund from the charitys reserves where necessary to support areas of need within our community sometimes at speed, such as for our recent Return to School campaign allows RABI to respond while we continue to develop and extend our support offer.
The tremendous support we receive from individuals, corporates and trusts is, however, still vital to ensure we are able to provide our services. This continues to help RABI make an incredible difference to our community.
RABI facts
- The Return to School campaign was RABIs most impactful standalone campaign to date, providing 1.5 million in grants to farming families, said Alicia Chivers; the campaign was particularly successful in connecting RABI to farming women aged 25-44, a group of people who have been identified as most at risk of poor mental health and well-being by the Big Farming Survey
- Since the launch of RABIs new mental well-being services in January 2022, the demand for face-to-face professional counselling has been 12 times more than the expected uptake; in addition, a diverse range of individuals from the breadth of the community, including those in regular face-to-face dialogue with farmers, such as vets and farm merchants, have received accredited mental health training and are now better equipped to confidently approach conversations around mental health
- In 2022, regional teams and volunteers organised and hosted more than 120 events; they embody the resilient and supportive spirit of the farming community
