RSABI is celebrating the success of its recent Friends of RSABI event, held at Pratis Barns. The gathering welcomed new supporters and raised more than £8,800 in donations for the charity.
A total of 28 people signed up to join RSABI’s growing community of ‘Friends’ on the night. The fundraising total also included a generous £5,000 corporate donation from PEAK International Group, who were unable to attend the event but were keen to lend their support.
The event which saw members of the farming community come together for an evening of networking, food and inspiration, resulted in 19 new Individual Friends and nine new Business Friends, all pledging their backing to help RSABI continue providing practical, emotional and financial support to those working in Scottish agriculture.
The new additions bring the total number of Friends of RSABI to almost 1,000, a significant milestone for the charity’s long-running Supporters’ Scheme, which was first launched more than a decade ago. Since then, it has grown into a strong and committed community of individuals, businesses and corporate partners whose regular contributions provide a vital and reliable income stream for the charity, enabling it to respond to increasing demand for its services.
RSABI’s Fundraising Executive, Margo Wills, who has been with the charity for more than 10 years, led the event.
Margo said: “What a fantastic result from our Friends of RSABI event at Pratis Barns on the 29th January. We were really pleased to see a turnout of over 140 guests, with the evening resulting in us welcoming 19 new Individual Friends as well as nine new Business Friends, all of whom have pledged their support to allow us to continue providing practical, emotional and financial help for those in Scottish agriculture.
“A huge thank you to Pratis Barns for their amazing hospitality, to our fabulous Headline Sponsor Thomson Cooper Accountants, and to our very kind sponsors East of Scotland Growers, Kettle Produce Ltd and NFU Mutual Cupar. Last but by no means least, thank you to all our existing Friends, companies and individuals, for their ongoing commitment, and for bringing along their colleagues and friends to introduce them to RSABI.”
“Our Friends of RSABI initiative reflects the incredible community spirit of our supporters and the important role they play in helping us deliver vital services to people involved in Scottish agriculture.”
By becoming a Friend, supporters directly contribute to RSABI’s work, which includes free practical, financial, and emotional support.
This includes access to free, confidential counselling delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry, as well as RSABI’s 24/7 helpline, available on 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills), and confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.
As organisations review their charity partnerships for the year ahead, RSABI is encouraging businesses to consider supporting the charity’s vital services by becoming a business or Corporate Friend. Options include:
- Individual Friend – from £2.50 per month
- Business Friend – £180 per year
- Corporate Friend – £600 per year
To become a Friend of RSABI or to find out more, visit www.rsabi.org.uk/friends, sign up via direct debit at https://secure.edirectdebit.co.uk/RSABI/Donate, or email friends@rsabi.org.uk
Photo caption L-R – Susie McIntyre (Kettle Produce Ltd), Mark Gibson (Thomson Cooper Accountants), Pauline Macmillian & Margo Wills (RSABI) and Lisa Eagles (East of Scotland Growers)