A total of 296 blood pressure checks were carried out and £11,715 was raised to support people in Scottish agriculture as RSABI reflects on one of its busiest and most successful Royal Highland Shows to date.
Across the four-day event, the charity welcomed thousands of visitors to its stand, where showgoers got involved with fundraising activities, took advantage of free health MOTs and blood pressure checks, and learned more about the practical, emotional and financial support available through RSABI.
A total of 296 blood pressure checks were carried out across the charity’s two Health Huts, which this year expanded to include a second location in Highland Hall, making the service more accessible to livestock exhibitors and visitors. This represents a significant increase from last year, more than doubling the 137 checks taken previously. Out of those tested this year, 61 individuals were raised and referred for further medical follow-ups, compared to 29 last year.
Alongside free health checks, the volunteer team of doctors and nurses provided wellbeing advice and encouraged conversations around preventative health, with a particular focus on prostate cancer in line with the RHASS Presidential Initiative’s efforts to raise awareness of symptoms and the importance of getting checked.
One of the standout moments of the Show for RSABI came as the Aberdeenshire Presidential Initiative announced it had raised an extraordinary £290,000 over the past year to be shared between RSABI, RHASS and the SAYFC Young Farmers Big Build.
In addition to this significant contribution, RSABI also raised £1,881 through its own activities at the Royal Highland Show, including its popular Deal or No Deal game, while supporters and partner organisations contributed additional fundraising and raised awareness of the charity’s services through a range of initiatives.
Among the highlights were:
● Portequip Ltd raised £3,500 through its raffle to win a Scotland World Cup Special Edition Hogg Feeder.
● Quality Meat Scotland raised £6,127 through sales of charity T-shirts, split between RSABI and SAYFC’s Young Farmers Big Build.
● Highland Industrial Supplies free prize draw offering the chance to win £3,000 worth of stock fencing.
● Strong support for the #UseYourHead campaign with the Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), encouraging farmers to wear helmets while using quad bikes, with daily helmet prizes donated by Logic Manufacturing Limited.
● Visitors to the stand signed the pledge supporting the new Scottish Firearms Mental Health Awareness and Support Partnership, helping raise awareness of suicide prevention and encouraging certificate holders to seek support when they need it.
The Show also marked the launch of RSABI’s summer fundraising appeal, £25k for 25 Years – Double the Difference, celebrating 25 years of the charity’s confidential helpline service. Thanks to a generous anonymous supporter, every donation made through the campaign until the end of summer will continue to be matched pound for pound, up to £25,000, creating the opportunity to raise £50,000 to support Scottish agriculture.
Pauline Macmillan, Head of Fundraising at RSABI, said: “It was an incredibly special four days for everyone at RSABI. Of course we’re hugely grateful for every donation made and every pound raised, but what really stood out this year was hearing directly from so many people about the positive difference our work has made to them, their families, friends and communities.
“People stopped by throughout the Show to thank the team, share their own experiences or tell us about someone we had helped. Those conversations reminded us exactly why we do what we do and demonstrated just how much awareness and understanding of RSABI continues to grow across Scottish agriculture.
“We’d like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated, visited our stand, took part in our activities or supported us in any way. We’re also incredibly grateful to our volunteers, healthcare professionals, fundraisers, sponsors and partners whose generosity and commitment made our presence at the Show such a success.”
RSABI also thanked the many organisations and individuals who supported the charity throughout the Show, including Highland Industrial Supplies, Portequip Ltd, Quality Meat Scotland, Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies), Logic Manufacturing Limited, ATV Services Scotland Ltd, Prostate Cancer UK, the RHASS Aberdeenshire Presidential Initiative and the many volunteers who generously gave their time across the four days.
RSABI offers free practical, financial, and emotional support including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.