NFU Mutual Charitable Trust delivers more than £1m to good causes

The funding will help to deliver a range of initiatives for 23 good causes, including rural poverty relief, helping small farming businesses to thrive, educating and mentoring young people, and supporting social welfare for rural communities. 

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is one of the main ways rural insurer NFU Mutual provides donations, and its work forms part of NFU Mutual’s £3.25 million charitable giving pledge to support its members and their communities during 2024.  

NFU Mutual said it is very grateful for the support given by the trust’s panel of trustees, who provide their expertise to help ensure that farming and rural communities across all areas of the UK are represented and considered. 

Working in the interests of agriculture 

Jim McLaren MBE, chairman of NFU Mutual, said: “The focus of the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is to support charities and organisations working in the interests of agriculture, rural communities and the countryside, and we’re very proud to be championing the work of these great causes.  

“We recognise these are challenging times, and these donations will make a positive difference to education, research, social welfare and poverty relief to help keep essential services going for our communities.” 

FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity tackling food waste to support social good, will be using their donation of £50,000 from the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust to support their work to ensure good-to-eat, surplus food goes to people, not to waste.  

The charity works with the food industry to rescue edible surplus food and distribute it to a network of 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK, which provides vital services to help tackle the challenges they face in order to thrive. 

Building connections and community

Polly Bianchi, chief income & engagement officer at FareShare, added: “Millions of tonnes of edible food are wasted at UK farms every year, while one in six people, including three million children, struggle to afford enough food.  

“For many, food is about more than nourishment; it’s about building connections and community. The charities we support turn surplus food into meals and use food as a gateway to other vital support services to help people thrive, not just survive. 

“The trust’s funding this year will directly cover the cost of rescuing 250,000 meals worth of edible food from farms across the UK and transporting it to communities that need it most, including our 406 member charities in rural constituencies. Thank you for your generous support.” 

Applications for the trust’s next round of donations, to be awarded in June 2025, are now open, and full details can be found on NFU Mutual’s website. 

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