Agricultural professional Marie Stephenson is taking on an ambitious fundraising challenge this August to raise awareness of the pressures facing farming people, while supporting RABI’s work across England and Wales.
Over the course of 10 days, Marie will travel from Cornwall to Scotland aiming to milk 10,000 cows. Through the challenge, she hopes to raise funds and awareness for RABI. Marie chose to support the charity because her own experience has shown how important it is for farming people to be able to access support that understands the realities of farming life.
A personal motivation
Marie says the challenge was inspired by the impact of recent losses within her local farming community.
"I have felt every angle of fighting to stay in farming, through to the heartbreaking decision to walk away," says Marie. "I have the utmost respect for those who stick it out. I want to do something to raise awareness, bring some light to the farms I milk at and share some laughs, as farming can be such a lonely place at times, but I care about it deeply."
Highlighting the reality of farming life
The nature of the cow milking challenge is intentional. It is designed to reflect the physical demands UK dairy farmers manage every day, while opening a wider conversation about mental health and wellbeing in farming.
"The challenge comes from a very personal place," says Marie. "After a series of losses close to my family and local farming community, I saw the impact left behind on families, schools and whole communities. I want to do something to raise awareness and help open conversations about mental health in farming."
A team effort
Planning a journey of this scale requires careful coordination, particularly around biosecurity. Marie is working alongside her employer's health and safety team to ensure appropriate biosecurity measures are in place across every farm she visits.
The agricultural community is already supporting the challenge. Thanks to Marie's industry connections, teams are stepping up across the country to fill gaps in her route. Marie also hopes broadcaster Sara Cox, who has shown support for her in the past, will help spread the word.
Paul Pirie, Head of Fundraising at RABI
"Marie's challenge is an extraordinary demonstration of commitment to farming people and the realities they face every day. By taking on something so physically demanding, she's shining a light on the pressures within our industry and helping ensure more farming families know that support is there when they need it most. We're incredibly grateful for her determination and generosity."
How you can help
You can follow Marie's progress throughout July as route updates and challenge news are shared ahead of the start on 3 August. To support the challenge and donate, visit Marie's JustGiving page.
