Thousands flocked to the 100th Royal Welsh Show, held at Builth Wells in Powys. Volunteers had four jam-packed days at the popular show during the hottest week of the year.
On the first day, the Farmer’s Union of Wales (FUW) hosted a seminar on the impact of TB breakdowns on mental health and regional manager for Wales Linda Jones joined the discussion panel. Other panellists included Ceredigion MP Ben Lake, Gareth Davies from Tir Dewi, Emma Picton-Jones from the DPJ Foundation, and Charles Smith from FCN.
Fifty volunteers from Welsh committees attended the R.A.B.I Wales Volunteers Meeting, hosted in the NFU Cymru marquee, to hear R.A.B.I CEO Alicia Chivers speak about the charity’s work.
Committee members raised more than £2,000 via a daily hamper raffle, Christmas card and refreshment sales. Lloyds Bank also generated funds with their Jellybean Challenge during the show. They invited visitors to guess how many jellybeans were in the jar and raised more than £1,000.
Steve Hughson, chief executive of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society, stopped by the R.A.B.I stand to present a cheque for £2,665. He raised the funds by completing his chief exec’s challenge, which involved cycling 103 miles around Pembrokeshire and diving 50ft into the Blue Lagoon. Find out more about Steve’s challenge.
Members of Cows on Tour, a group of people who educate children about farming, gave R.A.B.I a cow-shaped planter decorated by member Carwyn Rees. Over the past few months, the group have been selling these planters for schoolchildren to grow flowers or food in as part of their most recent fundraising efforts to support R.A.B.I and the DPJ Foundation. Find out more about Cows on Tour’s fundraising.
Additional events that R.A.B.I representatives attended during the show include the NFU Cymru Breakfast, HSBC reception, Lloyds Bank reception, JCP Solicitors Breakfast, Wales YFC Reception, FUW President’s reception, Agri Advisor breakfast, and the NFU Cymru Woman Farmer of the Year award presentation.