I’m delighted to have recently taken on the role of chairman at RSABI, the charity supporting people in Scottish agriculture.
RSABI’s staff do a great job of helping people to move forward from difficult situations, tailoring support to each individual’s circumstance.
The vast majority of people RSABI helped in 2019-20 received emotional and/or practical support.
This includes helping people to access specialist business plans, helping farmers with poor mental health to access counselling and making regular phone calls to those who are vulnerable or lonely – unsurprisingly demand for this service increased in 2020.
Please do not hesitate to call 0300 111 4166 if you need support.
The helpline is open every day from 7am to 11pm, including over the new year period.
It’s very humbling when we receive feedback from those the charity has helped, many of whom have fallen on hard times following unforeseen events such as an accident, illness or bereavement.
One of our clients recently said: “Without the variety and spread of help and support I have received from RSABI the outcome to date of my life, and those around me, would probably have been sadly a lot different.”
It’s also humbling to have such strong support from the agricultural industry. We have many supporters in the north, not to mention the tremendous support we’ve had from the Joe Watson Stockjudging competition over the years.
Sadly, our colleague Richard Huxtable passed away earlier in the year. Richard was well-known in the farming community, particularly in the north-east, and helped many RSABI clients in the area. He is sorely missed by all.
This has been a difficult year for many and RSABI has been busy providing vital services to people in the agricultural community. In 2021, we want to ensure that RSABI is there for everyone who needs us.
This is why increasing membership of our Supporter Scheme is one of my priorities. Regular giving through the scheme is a great way to support RSABI – it helps us plan for the future.
You can sign up from just £2 a month and your support will make a huge difference. To find out more click here.
- David Leggat is chairman of RSABI.
