The charity is now known simply as RSABI, but it was founded as the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee and in recognition of the deep agricultural depression at the time.
The new Institution’s aim was to help elderly, infirm, distressed and disabled Scottish tenant farmers and their dependants. At its first AGM, the funds available allowed 16 “pensioners” to be elected, each receiving £20 per year.
Over many years, the charity evolved and, through the hard work of a band of local collectors throughout Scotland and the generosity of many supporters, was able to help more people who were struggling.
The structure of the charity was brought up to date in 2005, when the work of the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution transferred to RSABI, a company limited by guarantee.
The charity has further developed in recent years to provide a more rounded, effective service that supports people to move on from their problems and on with their lives. We now help a wider range of people, with support available to all people involved in the Scottish agricultural industry, including their families and dependents.
In recent years we’ve seen a shift in the type of support needed – from predominantly financial to practical and emotional, with most people needing a combination of support to move forward.
Today, RSABI is a thoroughly modern charity, with a corporate structure and a Board of Trustees who have the necessary variety of skills to govern the charity on a voluntary basis.
