NFU Mutual Wessex and NFU Mutual West Dorset are supporting farmers and the rural community through difficult times.
Amid the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 this year, farmers across the UK have continued to work tirelessly to put food on people’s tables. But the burden on the farmers themselves, as well as their families and other members of the rural community has made life tough in 2020.
To understand the extent of this, we carried out a survey of our customers at the height of the national lockdown, and it showed that nearly three quarters of people reported feeling more isolated, and nearly a third reported feeling more anxious.
The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust
We believe no-one is more important to us than those in farming and the rural community. So we’ve been working hard to help during these unprecedented times.
One important element of this approach is the funding donated by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust. So far this year, the Trust has made donations totalling more than £774,000 across several national organisations that reach out to isolated and vulnerable people in the UK. They are: The Addington Fund, The Farming Community Network, Forage Aid, the National Emergencies Trust: Coronavirus Appeal, The Prince’s Countryside Fund, The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), RSABI, Rural Support and Samaritans.
The funding is supporting those experiencing stress or worry and helping farmers, their families and others who are facing challenges, as well as encouraging physical and mental wellbeing in our communities.
At a time when the cancellation of fundraising events means that many charities are facing a funding gap, our support has allowed charities to continue to provide crucial support services, such as freephone telephone helplines, e-counselling, signposting to more sources of information, outreach activity and one-off grants to support individuals and families.
The Farming Community Network, which provides help and support to
farmers and their businesses is among the recipients of support from the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust this year. The charity’s CEO, Jude McCann, said: “We see the impact of Covid-19 as farming families face additional business and personal strains including bereavement and mental health issues.
This invaluable donation will help us to continue to support farmers and their families, and in the development of and facilitation of new online training modules to local volunteers. In addition, it will provide vital helpline and mental health training to new helpline volunteers.”
More than two decades of support
The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has supported rural community projects and services since it was set up in 1998.
Since then, donations have helped other charities and organisations tackle big issues like rural poverty, food education, the future of farming, and mental and physical health.
In the last ten years the Trust has donated more than £3 million to fund education and social welfare projects in towns and villages across the UK.
We’re proud to deliver more than simply insurance. Supporting charities across the UK that are tackling hardship in rural communities is one of the ways we do this.
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