HERE - Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution

WelfareMaking Christmas happy with a hamperIt was over 40 years ago that the annual distribution of Christmas hampers to RABI beneficiaries first started. Since then it has become a tradition thatis much anticipated by those who do not have the resources to enjoy many of the festive delights that most of us take for granted.At the RABI council meeting in September 1969, membersconsidered a proposal to give Christmas hampers and,according to the minutes of the meeting, “after hearing ofthe very considerable number of appreciative letters thathad been received from our beneficiaries last year”, it wasunanimously agreed that hampers be sent to allbeneficiaries. It was decided that there should be “anapproximate cost of £12.10s [£12.50] per hamper,including postage and packing, subject to the particularcontents that the secretary was able to include”.In the early years it was supporters, in the main localNFU and YFC members, who delivered the majority of thehampers. For many of them this was the first contact theyhad had with beneficiaries and, as the annual report for1971 stated, it served to strengthen RABI’s grass-rootssupport.Over the years, as the number of beneficiaries receivinghampers has more than doubled and with an increasingIn 1916 they were filling baskets with clean laundry - now they fillhampers with foodnumber of them wishing to retain their anonymity,distribution became more centralised. The vast bulk ofhampers are now dispatched direct to the beneficiaries byFestival Foods, the company that has been producing themfor RABI since 1998.“We choose Festival Foods to supply both Christmasand birthday hampers because they were competitive andthey provide an excellent service”, comments Trish Pickford,head of welfare at RABI. “They have always been veryhelpful and quick to respond if there is any problem withthe delivery of a hamper.“In addition to the basic hamper, they are able to meetour requirements for diabetic and vegetarian hamperswith, for Christmas, double hampers for couples. In recentBob’s flying visitWhen Sheri Farrow, the deputy/care manager at Beaufort House,learnt about Project Propeller, an annual reunion for World War IIaircrew, held at Wickenby airfield, Lincoln, she immediately thought ofBob Axford. Bob is a resident at Beaufort who flew Spitfires during thewar and she knew that he would love to attend.Born into farming in Keevil, Wiltshire, Bob joined the RAF when hewas 18, returning home in 1946, following the death of his father, tomanage the farm. Bob moved to Beaufort House in June last year,where he joined his sister Margaret, who celebrated her 100thbirthday at the end of 2010.Sheri discovered that volunteer pilots used their private aircraft totransport veterans from all over the country to the reunion, so she setabout making it happen for Bob. On 11th June she picked Bob upfrom Beaufort House at 8.30am and drove him to Gloucester airport.Shortly after 10amthey were on boarda single engine light aircraft, piloted byStephen Turley, for the 40-minute flight toLincolnshire.Bob’s very special day out included seeing demonstration flights ofaircraft he had flown in training and in combat as well as a display bythe Red Arrows. His sister Margaret was reportedly nervous about himflying at the age of 89, but was delighted that he had such awonderful opportunity.It was certainly a day that both Bob and Sheri will never forget. Weunderstand that Bob has not stopped smiling since his return and hasbeen delighting the other residents with his memories and account ofhis day out.www.rabi.org.uk6