Farming Matters!

It is harvest time and naturally thoughts focus on farming and the land, and following on from that our thoughts go to the difficulties being experienced by the agricultural community. Fortunately there is a modicum of assistance near by with voluntary agencies pooling together their experience and expertise to help those who so badly need that helping hand and the voice of someone who cares. RABI or, to give it the full title, The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Association is one of those agencies.

RABI can, with the hands on approach now taken with Regional Welfare Officers in various areas of the country, actually visit and be of very real practical help. Officers tell us that it sometimes takes as long as a three hour visit to ascertain the statutory payments which are due to the family or individual, and that most find the form filling so difficult. Our RWOs can aid this process and at the same time mark up ways in which RABI may be able to provide financial assistance.

In many circumstances this process applies to families still operating as working farms or farm workers, but RABI never forgets that its original and core purpose is to aid those who face retirement or are in any way disabled. This is possible by making them beneficiaries with regular grant payments, and enabling those who wish to remain in their own homes to do so by disablement aids and repairs to homes. Of course in the ultimate, RABI is able to provide care in its own Care Homes or in Retirement Flats. These two Care homes are at Burnham -on-Sea and Bury St. Edmunds. No real cry for help, however strange the request may be, will be ignored. Each application is looked at, in total confidence, by a senior member of Head Office welfare staff and be Trustees.

Since the FMD outbreak RABI has paid out over £10 million to over 8000 families

We see the need increasing. We are prepared and quite determined that we will be able to meet those needs.

Important:- Telephone contact - 01865 724931

See also the RABI website for more information on both help and fund raising events