Welcome to the latest online newsletter for RABI volunteers.

Welcome to the latest online newsletter for RABI volunteers. It is a summer bumper edition, with news about the RABI Conference & AGM (note change of date), more on the central team, a feature on a great event in Shropshire, plus a lovely chat with Bill Dilks, previous chair of the Derbyshire committee. Enjoy! 

If you have any feedback or stories you’d like to share with us, please get in touch at volunteering@rabi.org.uk. 

Thank you for your support

The last couple of months have been very busy for volunteers and the wider team and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your dedication and hard work. Your efforts at events across the various summer shows, numerous garden parties, golf days and other wonderful events are tremendously appreciated.  

Whether your events have brought local farming communities together, raised vital funds to support our services, or have led to farming people to seek advice and support, your contributions have been invaluable. Together, we are making a difference, supporting the farming community and ensuring that RABI can continue to provide essential services and support when and where it is needed most.  

Thank you!

RABI Conference & AGM – important date change

We are really looking forward to seeing many of you on Thursday 17 October at the RABI Conference in Mythe Barn in Leicestershire. The date has changed from October 9 – apologies for any inconvenience this might have caused.   

The conference provides a great opportunity to join other volunteers, Trustees and staff to talk about the work of RABI, future priorities, plus reflect on the achievements over the last year. 

Up to 3 volunteers from each committee are invited to attend. Please agree as a committee and contact your Regional Manager to confirm names by August 26. Attendees will then be sent an official invitation and other info, including suggestions on accommodation.  

The RABI AGM will follow the conference at 3pm. All RABI members will be formally invited to attend. Members include county committee chairs (or their nominated reps), presidents & vice presidents and former and current Trustees.  

If you have any questions on the conference or AGM please contact volunteering@rabi.org.uk. 

Support for committees 

The central volunteering team at RABI are here to support you as volunteers and committees. 

At the end of the inbox and phone line are Verenique (V) and Matilda. V has been with us for over 7 years working closely with committees and Regional Managers. She has been joined by Matilda Heron, who recently finished Ag college and has a real passion for making a difference within farming.  

Together V and Matilda are on hand to support you as committees – helping with promotional templates, sourcing raffle prizes, event ticketing, as well as managing clothing and kit orders.   

Please make best use of the team as this will also help free up our Regional Managers to focus on developing new initiatives and reaching new audiences across the region.  

V and Matilda look forward to hearing from you! Email them at volunteering@rabi.org.uk or phone them using 01865 724931 (option 3 for volunteering).  

Summer fizz 

It has been a very busy season with many volunteers taking advantage of some great venues happy to host garden parties and high teas. A big shout out to the Shropshire committee who recently held a Pudding and Prosecco event at Fields House, Market Drayton.

The event, led by Moira Roberts, was a resounding success, bringing over 120 guests together in a beautiful marquee set in an idyllic location for an evening of relaxed conversation. The simplicity of the concept, combined with its affordability, ensured that everyone left with a positive experience.  It also helped raise almost £1,600 for RABI. 

Due to the success of this first gathering, the Shropshire committee has been offered another marquee on 22nd September. The upcoming event, “Pimms and Puddings,” will build on the effectiveness of the initial gathering, promising to be another enjoyable occasion. 

Left photo: David Lee (Shropshire RABI Chair), Mervin Mullard, Lorna Murchie and Lyn Adderley. Right photo: Moira Roberts (Event Lead) and Sue Bower. 

If you have held a successful event and would like this featured in the next newsletter get in touch volunteering@rabi.org.uk.

My Volunteering

Bill Dilks, retired chair Derbyshire committee

What do you do with RABI?   

I was Chair of Derbyshire RABI committee from 2015 until March of this year. I supported the committee for a long time from the early 1980s as part of the NFU prior to officially joining them, but have been part of the Derbyshire committee for the last 31 years as a committee member and chair. We have our own family farm with contractor farming with an organic herd and 1500 acres of cereals, which my son has taken over.  

Why did you get involved as a volunteer? 

A long story – when I was a little boy, a long time ago, my mother’s sister was in the local young farmers. She was sadly killed in a cycle accident coming back from a young farmers meet. My family struggled afterwards, and my grandmother had support from RABI. As part of this support, she received a hamper every Christmas, which I have fond memories of being there with her to open when I was a child. I knew the work RABI did was so important and I knew it was a wonderful opportunity to be part of that, so I pledged to support RABI for life and to continue her legacy.  

What are you most proud of as a volunteer for RABI? 

One particular moment was my 80th birthday, last September in 2023. I wanted to continue my support with RABI and we had a tractor run around my farm in Shottle prior to my birthday at the weekend. We had 80 vintage tractors, dancing diggers and JCBs, all sort of side shows, laser shooting, marquees with refreshments and raised over £4600. Most importantly it gave me the opportunity to bring together committee members, our local farming community and my family to support a charity that is important to me.

What are your hopes for the farming community and the local committee? 

I think there is a lot of concern lately, with a changing government and policies, which have an impact on the farming community. However, there is more support now for environmental things like the soil, as we’ve farmed the land out of condition and need to improve its condition. It has meant looking outside the farming ‘box’ to get income. 

With the committee, I hope it will continue to thrive and develop. Recruiting new volunteers and younger volunteers for the community will be important. We have an annual theme in Derbyshire of one event in a stately home a year which has become popular. I know this will carry on in Angela’s capable hands bringing her own ideas to the table with the committee. 

What would be your advice for anyone considering becoming a chair and / or getting involved with RABI? 

If you have any sort of relationship with agriculture, whether it’s family or other agricultural businesses, you need to be involved and will enjoy being involved.  

Describe your volunteering experience in one sentence 

It is rewarding when people come up to you and thank you for helping someone they know – best feeling that you’ve given back.  

With the committee, I hope it will continue to thrive and develop. Recruiting new volunteers and younger volunteers for the community will be important. We have an annual theme in Derbyshire of one event in a stately home a year which has become popular. I know this will carry on in Angela’s capable hands bringing her own ideas to the table with the committee.

What would be your advice for anyone considering becoming a chair and / or getting involved with RABI?

If you have any sort of relationship with agriculture, whether it’s family or other agricultural businesses, you need to be involved and will enjoy being involved.

Describe your volunteering experience in one sentence

It is rewarding when people come up to you and thank you for helping someone they know – best feeling that you’ve given back.

And finally   

• We have now closed RABI’s Return to School Grant and are now working hard to process all received applications. Thanks for all your help promoting the grant. Applications are taking up to 6 weeks to process so please ask people to be patient if they are asking on progress.  

• In response to your feedback we are working on new guidance, including a new volunteering handbook and top tips on managing great local events. The handbook will be available over the next couple of months (just finalising design) and event guidance towards the end of the year.  

• We are revisiting other RABI communications. Over time we will be looking to make available more information from across the charity – including shining a light on stories from across the regions on our website. We’re also looking at an annual review and supporter news which together will replace content that used to be in RABI News.  

• Next committee chairs call is on 18 September at 7pm.