£450k will be given away by King’s charity to help rural and farming projects
27th February 2024
The Royal Countryside Fund, founded by the King, has announced a donation of almost £450,000 in grants for farmers and support for rural initiatives across the country.
The funding aims to support people living and working in the countryside, who have been facing many challenges recently, including rising costs, unpredictable and extreme weather, as well as isolation.
Difficulties in commuting, lack of jobs and community spaces, as well as mental health issues have also been recognised by The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) as common problems among people living in the countryside.
The charity said that an investment of £434,945 would help enable change and develop resilience in rural areas across the UK.
Farming charities: RSABI in Scotland, Rural Support in Northern Ireland, Tir Dewi in Wales and YANA in England are among charities that received funding towards the running of their organisations.
Changing lives of rural communities
Keith Halstead, executive director of the RCF, said: “We operate exclusively in rural areas and work hand-in-hand with individuals, small farms, community groups, and partner organisations to change lives by investing in projects that bring people together to work collectively in enterprising and pragmatic ways to tackle the real needs and local issues which they have identified”.
The RCF’s ‘Supporting Rural Communities’ grant programme is supported by the players of People’s Postcode Lottery – which has awarded the RCF £2.28m of grant funding over the past six years – and Waitrose & Partners, making a significant impact on the lives of people living and working in rural Britain.
Building a future for farming families
The RCF also provides grants to farm support groups and trusted partners who are embedded in the rural communities that they serve, helping to create a real future for farming families.
This year, £25,000 has been awarded to seven farm support groups to cover core costs and ensure organisations are able to continue to deliver vital services to farmers outwith their specific project delivery.
An example of a farm support group putting their grant to work is Exmoor Hill Farming Network, which are building on their success as an integral support to farmers.
The charity’s funding will cover core costs and ensure the network is able to continue to deliver vital services – assisting at least 50 farm businesses, delivering four farmer-led events that will respond to the needs of the local farming community.
Discover more about the Supporting Rural Communities programme.
Read more about farming grants.
