66745 RABI Ann Rep 2006 PAGES - Royal Agricultural Benevolent ...

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Fun rides, like this annual event organised for the RABI Warwickshire committee by the Stratford-upon-Avon NFU branch, are becoming a popularsource of fundraising.Fundraising, Marketing &CommunicationsTwo distinct challenges face the fundraising, marketing andcommunications department. The first is to raise funds in anincreasingly competitive environment. Just as vital is thedepartment’s other role in publicising and promoting RABI’swork to those who are in need of help. Both of thesefunctions are critical to RABI’s success.Sustainability is our major objective and in 2006 wecontinued developing our programme of regular activitiesaimed at both fundraising and creating awareness of howRABI can help those in need.RABI Oxfordshire committee chairman Stephen Bitmead (right)receiving the Henley & District Agricultural Association’s ‘Charity Cheque’for £3,000 from Brigadier Nigel Mogg DL watched by the Association’spresident David Palmer DL, during the Henley Show.Our most valuable assetAs always, our volunteers formed the backbone of ouron-going work. Supported by our six regional officers (ROs),our voluntary committees succeeded in raising over£728,000 in their counties, through their own efforts andtheir encouragement to others. This represented an increasefor the third year running and proves how essential ourdedicated volunteers are in helping us achieve our objectives.8 RABI Annual Review 2006
Annual events and campaignsA portfolio of annual fundraising activities provides aframework that we can build on each year.We start in January with Farmhouse Breakfast Week.Across the country, several thousand pounds were raisedfrom numerous events including at Shaw House, where weprovided breakfasts for local business people. Our thanks toBPEX and Ladies in Pigs for supporting this and to thenumerous county committees and companies who turnedthis healthy eating campaign into a fundraising opportunity.Our fifth appearance in the London 10k road runattracted a record 42 RABI runners, boosted by a team ofsix from Bidwell’s in Cambridge, three ladies from Cumbria, ateam from East Anglia and a group of volunteers fromBerkshire who joined our seasoned runners fromOxfordshire and Bucks.Awaiting the judge’s verdict, the entries in the RABI lamb class at theRoyal Smithfield Christmas Fair, which were donated by sheep exhibitorsto raise funds for RABI.The winning lamb, from Angley School YFC in Kent,third from the left, sold for £185, more than three times the average.RABI was also the chosen charity for the Devon CountyShow in 2006 enabling us to raise both funds and our profile.These are just three of the many show organisers andsocieties that support RABI around the country with freestand space and promotional opportunities. We are gratefulto them all for providing us with an unparalleled shopwindow for raising awareness of our work.Members of the RABI team relaxing with supporters in St. James’s Parkhaving completed the London 10k road run.Farming in Focus, the RABI NatWest calendar for 2007was the most highly acclaimed to date, thanks largely to thegenerous support of Guild of Agricultural Journalistsphotographers who donated images of the highest quality.Agricultural showsWe are grateful to the chairman of the awards dinner at theRoyal Show for nominating the Farming Help charities asthe beneficiaries of the auction. Not only did the occasionraise valuable funds but it gave us the opportunity to meetmajor donors and explore our common ground. We alsohad the generous support of The Farmers Club, whoprovided the site for the RABI tent, and of Grant Thorntonwho hosted our reception in their pavilion.We welcomed the invitation to be involved in the RoyalSmithfield Christmas Fair with the inclusion of the RABIlamb class. Moving Smithfield out of London to Somersetbrought it under the wing of our local county committee,who used the opportunity to great effect, raffling a quad bike.Public fundingOur successful bid to Defra in 2005 for three-year funding tocover the salaries and costs of two of our team of regionalwelfare officers (RWOs) gave us the platform to create anational programme to seek funding for the entire team. Byusing Defra’s support as a cornerstone, we succeeded insecuring further funding from a number of Charitable Truststo finance the work of team members in several othercounties. This is an ongoing programme, with the aim ofcovering the whole of England and Wales. We are verygrateful to Defra and the charitable trusts who havesupported, and continue to support, this programme.During the year we received further funding from Defra tohelp cover the extra workload experienced by our welfaredepartment as a result of the late payments of the SingleFarm Payment scheme.BeneficiariesAn important part of the department’s activities is creatingawareness of RABI where it is most needed. There is aconsiderable emphasis on the continuing development of thisarea of our work and 2006 saw a more proactive approachto communicating with bodies, such as rural healthpractitioners, social services and other support organisations,which come into contact with potential beneficiaries.We are grateful to the many companies, charitabletrusts, individuals and volunteers, without whosegoodwill, generosity and enthusiasm we could notprovide support for so many of those in need.RABI Annual Review 2006 9
Page 1 and 2: President’s messageAs the rapid p
Page 3 and 4: Last but by no means least on this
Page 5 and 6: Annual General MeetingAwardsIn addi
Page 7: There were two RABI holidays, in Wa
Page 11 and 12: Summary of Income & Expenditure by

66745 RABI Ann Rep 2006 PAGES - Royal Agricultural Benevolent ...

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