NFU Mutual Charitable Trust raises over £550,000 for UK rural causes

This is the first of two rounds of funding which will be delivered across the year. The trust expects overall donations to reach at least £1 million by the end of 2025.

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust is one of the main ways the rural insurer NFU Mutual provides charitable donations. Its work forms part of NFU Mutual’s £4 million charitable giving pledge to support its members and their communities during 2025.

NFU Mutual is supported by the trust’s panel of trustees, who provide their expertise to help ensure that farming and rural communities across all areas of the UK are represented and considered.

Jim McLaren MBE, chairman of NFU Mutual and the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust, said: “We recognise these are challenging times for people living and working in farming and rural communities, and this funding will help to deliver a range of initiatives across the UK, including rural poverty relief, supporting the resilience of small farming businesses, advancing agricultural education, and improving health and wellbeing.

“We are very proud to be championing the work of these great causes through the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust.”

Supporting organisations that provide vital help

The Royal Countryside Fund, a charity which empowers family farms and rural communities to survive and thrive, will be using their donation of £70,000 to aid their work with Farm Support Groups across the UK.

Keith Halstead, executive director of The Royal Countryside Fund, added: “This funding will support our network of farm support groups – vital organisations that address issues around health, wellbeing and resilience in their local communities.

“Each of these groups are deeply embedded in the farming and rural communities that they serve and provide essential lifelines of support.

“Powering up these groups is a key part of our mission to support rural communities across the UK, helping to sustain a living landscape of working family farms and prosperous rural life.

“Each community is different, so it’s important that we support locally run farm support groups, who know what will make the biggest difference in their local area.”

Mr Halstead explained that this funding will help continue The Royal Countryside Fund’s work to bring them together to share ideas, advice and best practices.

The donations will be available immediately, allowing the organisations to continue to provide their crucial support services.

Applications for the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust’s November round of donations are now open, and the closing date is 10th October. Full details can be found on NFU Mutual’s website.

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