After 10 days, countless miles and farms across the country, Marie Stephenson has completed her remarkable 10,000 Cows Challenge in support of RABI.
Beginning in Bodmin, Cornwall and travelling north towards Scotland, Marie set herself the ambitious task of milking 10,000 cows in just 10 days. Along the way, she visited dairy farms, met farming people and encouraged conversations about mental health and wellbeing within agriculture.
The challenge raised £5,706 for RABI, helping the charity continue providing practical, financial and emotional support to farming people across England and Wales.
A challenge rooted in farming
Marie, an agricultural professional with strong connections to the dairy sector, chose a challenge that reflected the reality of farming life.
Her motivation was shaped by her own experiences and by losses within her local farming community, prompting her to do something that could both raise funds and encourage people to talk more openly about wellbeing.
Travelling between farms also meant careful planning around routes, milking times and biosecurity, with farmers and supporters across the country helping make the challenge possible.
10 days, 22 farms and 10,411 cows
From the first milking in Cornwall to the final stop in Scotland, Marie's journey took her through farming communities across the country.
By the end of the challenge, she had visited 22 farms, travelled approximately 920 miles and milked 10,411 cows.
Marie Stephenson:
"This experience has been so very special. The people and their stories have moved me beyond belief. The commitment and effort that farmers and farm workers put in, day in, day out, is beyond anything I have ever experienced.
In between their busy schedules, they have fed, watered and housed me with the highest standard of hospitality, and I will be eternally grateful to each one of them.
I hope the money raised allows RABI to carry on its amazing work. It has been an honour to support this incredible charity, which gives our farming community so much support in so many ways.
I will miss milking, but I am so very ready for a rest. I will miss the magic of cows and the amazing people who look after them."
Taking the message to a national audience
Marie's efforts also attracted significant media interest during the challenge.
Her journey featured on Good Morning Britain and ITV Evening News, bringing both the challenge and its inspiration to a national audience.
Marie was also chosen as 5 News' Hero of the Week, with presenter Dan Walker's programme following her progress at a farm near Lutterworth in Leicestershire.
Laura Ractliffe, RABI's Service Delivery Co-Ordinator Manager, joined the feature to talk about the support available to farming people and the contribution fundraisers such as Marie make to the charity's work.
Thank you, Marie
Completing the 10,000 Cows Challenge represents an extraordinary physical and logistical achievement, made possible with support from farms and farming people along Marie's route.
Most importantly, the challenge has raised funds while creating opportunities to talk about wellbeing and make more people aware of the support available through RABI.
Danielle Burwood, Events Community Fundraiser at RABI:
"Marie's 10,000 Cows Challenge has been an incredible undertaking, and we are enormously grateful for everything she has done for RABI.
Not only has she raised £5,706 to support our work, but her journey has created conversations about wellbeing in agriculture and helped more farming people understand that support is available.
We would also like to thank every farm that welcomed Marie and everyone who donated or supported her along the way.
For anyone interested in taking on their own challenge for RABI, please get in touch with our fundraising team who can share with you an exciting programme of challenge events or other ways of how to get involved."
