RABI has confirmed the charity’s ambitious goal to reach even more farming people over the next three years. Providing services and support to the farming community across England and Wales, RABI aims to increase the level of available support fourfold by the end of its 5-year strategic period in 2024.
“The Council of Trustees has a clear and simple vision for RABI,” says RABI chief executive, Alicia Chivers. “The need for the charity to ensure services and support are available consistently across England and Wales to a greater number of farming people over the coming years, is clear-cut and of paramount importance to all at RABI.
“Delivering positive outcomes to four times as many farming people and families across England and Wales by the end of 2024 is an aspirational goal. We believe this is achievable through the expansion of RABI’s existing partnership programmes, forging a more holistic approach that will benefit our farming communities.”
Looking ahead, RABI will continue to provide support to those who are no longer farming due to ill health or age. Supplementing these existing programmes, the charity will additionally be increasing its focus on pre-emptive and proactive support services to farming people working in the sector. This is, in part, a response to the growing levels of farming families living on a relative low income.
“Looking to the future, RABI’s long-term intent is to work in partnerships to provide support for up to 25,000 farming people annually, as a more collaborative approach with partner organisations is developed,” Mrs Chivers concludes.
RABI’s strategic evolution includes implementing the following:
- Introducing a 24/7 helpline
- Collaborating with partners to offer consistent, targeted support across England and Wales
- Supporting best practice through volunteer network
- Launching preliminary peer-to-peer pilot schemes at a regional and national level
- Developing holistic support packages with specialist and sector providers
