RSABI has announced the appointment of Stephen Young as Chair of the charity’s Board of Trustees and Mairi Renwick MacKenzie as Vice Chair.
Stephen has served on the RSABI Board since 2021 and was appointed Vice Chair in 2025. From a farming background, Stephen is based in the Borders and works as Director of Policy with Scottish Land & Estates, following previous roles with SAOS and Borders Machinery Ring.
Mairi is based near Ullapool and, as well as being a crofter herself, serves as a Commissioner with the Crofting Commission. She also takes a keen interest in sustainable agricultural tourism, including running her own self-catering property.
Warm thanks have been extended to RSABI’s previous Chair Jane Mitchell for her dedicated service, leadership and longstanding commitment to the charity – including nine years as a Trustee – and to the wider agricultural community.
Trustees give their time to the charity on an unpaid, voluntary basis and the appointments have been announced at an important time for RSABI, which is responding strongly to growing demand for emotional, practical and financial support from people involved in Scottish agriculture.
Carol McLaren, Chief Executive of RSABI, said: “We are delighted to announce Stephen and Mairi as our Chair and Vice Chair. Both bring a deep understanding of Scottish agriculture and a strong commitment to supporting people in our farming and crofting communities.
“Stephen has already made a significant contribution to RSABI through his work on the Board and as Vice Chair, and we look forward to working with him in his new role. Mairi has also been a very active board member over many years, and her appointment as Vice Chair further strengthens the Board leadership at a time when demand for RSABI’s services is high.”
Stephen Young said it was a privilege to take on the role of Chair.
“On behalf of everyone at RSABI, I would like to extend our thanks to Jane Mitchell for her valuable contribution to the Board. Her enthusiasm and energy over almost a decade of service have been hugely valued by fellow Trustees and staff,” said Stephen.
“I am looking forward to working closely with Mairi and the wider Board, as well as our dedicated team of staff, as the charity continues to grow and evolve in response to demand from our farming and crofting communities. Huge thanks also goes to all those who support the work of the charity through fundraising and donations – we are incredibly grateful.”
RSABI offers free practical, financial and emotional support, including counselling services delivered quickly after 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 the confidential webchat service available on RSABI’s website, www.rsabi.org.uk.