Appeals: The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution helps farmers who have lost their livelihood and their homes when they retire or are forced to sell up because of ill-health, accident or disability. With grants of some pounds 500,000 a year, It has come to the aid of more than 1,000 casualties, from widows aged 90 to young men and women in their thirties. Sometimes a grant might help a farmer incapacitated permanently by multiple sclerosis, for example, sometimes it might provide temporary help to a small dairy farmer who has broken his leg and needs someone to do the milking while he recovers. The RABI also arranges holidays for disabled farmers and their relations, has bought flats with Anchor Housing and the Johnny Johnson Housing Trust and owns two residential homes, at Burnham-on-Sea and Bury St Edmunds. It now needs to raise pounds 300,000 to complete building flats at the homes.

The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Shaw House, 27 West Way, Oxford OX2 0QH, telephone 0865 724931.