Colin Cooper, head of finance, retires today after close to 25 years of service with R.A.B.I.

Colin joined the charity in December 1994, following a career in the army. Since that time, he’s seen a number of changes as R.A.B.I has grown and adapted to become what it is today.

“I’m going to miss being here,” Colin said, “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs. I still say that R.A.B.I’s finest hour was in 2001 during the Foot and Mouth crisis when the staff that were here put in so much time and effort to get all the payments done. We rose to the occasion and did everything that was required. As time’s gone on, R.A.B.I has continued to adapt to the needs of the farming community.”

CEO Alicia Chivers said: “I’ve only known Colin for quite a short period, but in that time he’s shown himself to be a remarkable colleague. I know that he’s had an enormous influence on R.A.B.I during his time with the charity.

“Colin’s been a real friend to many people and has been such a valuable contributor to this organisation. He’s always shown a willingness to help out, works tirelessly to deliver his best and supports everybody in the team. It will be very different without him.”

Colin plans to make the most of his retirement, starting with a holiday to Cornwall with his family.

He added: “I’ve been privileged to work alongside some fantastic people. We are a team and without their support, we could never have achieved what we have done. I leave with a heavy heart knowing I’m going to miss people.

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.”

Pictured above is Colin with his son David.