Multi-specialist machinery dealership The Hamilton Ross Group is this week announcing a year-long fundraising partnership with agricultural charity RSABI as part of the company’s 90th anniversary celebrations.
The family-run business stocks machinery across six divisions, including agriculture, groundcare, and construction, spread over six depots in the central belt of Scotland, operating under two trading companies, Hamilton Brothers and R&R Machinery.
The business’ family ethos is shared across its farming supplier base, with AGCO machinery brands Massey Ferguson, Valtra and Fendt, along with JCB Agriculture, accounting for a major part of its agricultural sales. Farming is woven through the history of the Hamilton Ross Group and RSABI was a natural fit to be its chosen charity for this special year.
The firm will be supporting the charity’s work to deliver practical, emotional and financial support to those working in the Scottish agriculture industry, through fundraising and awareness-raising throughout the year.
At the launch of the partnership, a Mental Health First Aid training course was delivered to an initial 12 members of staff from The Hamilton Ross Group, hosted at the R&R Machinery depot in Lanark. The training is part of a pioneering initiative being rolled out across the industry by RSABI and IED Training Solutions Ltd, an award-winning consultancy founded by former Royal Marines.
IED and RSABI joined forces and began rolling out the training to those working in the agriculture industry earlier this year after various synergies were identified between the marines and farming, including isolation, strenuous work, and long hours.
Delivered by Hugh Jones (Major, retired), who previously served in the Royal Marines for 37 years, the training course aims to inform participants of what to look out for and how to respond when someone may be struggling with their mental health, with all the staff who took part achieving an SCQF Level 5 Award in First Aid for Mental Health.
The Hamilton Ross Group team pictured with Carol McLaren, CEO of RSABI, and Hugh Jones (Major, retired) after receiving Mental Health First Aid Training delivered by Hugh Jones at R&R Machinery in Lanark & from left to right: RSABI Chief Executive Carol McLaren pictured with Jim Steel, Eric Gardiner and Jamie Gardiner of the Hamilton Ross Group
