Mart Auction Fundraiser raises over £87,000 in aid of Bereavement Support Programme
In September, twenty-two marts across Northern Ireland joined forces and hosted a Mart Auction Fundraiser in aid of Rural Support’s Life Beyond bereavement support programme, raising an incredible £87,532.54.
Life Beyond was launched in August 2021 and provides support for farming families across Northern Ireland who have experienced loss through a farm accident, suicide, unexpected or expected death and is facilitated in partnership with Embrace FARM.
Since its launch, over 80 farming families from across the province have received counselling and farm business support in their time of need and beyond.
Kevin Doherty, CEO of Rural Support, said: “We are extremely thankful to all the marts involved for their support and commitment to the charity. What they have helped us achieve through this initiative is extraordinary.
“This is a much-needed programme for our farming community and these funds will ensure we can continue to provide emotional wellbeing and business support to farming families who are in a period of great sorrow and loss.
“I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who was involved in this fundraising event, you have helped to make a positive impact on the lives of numerous farming families across Northern Ireland.”
Plumbridge Mart was the inspiration behind this fundraiser, having held a charity auction for Rural Support in December of last year, which raised over £14,000 for the farm support charity. The marts involved in this fundraising initiative were:
- Armoy
- Ballymena
- Camlough
- Clogher
- Crossmaglen
- Donemana
- Draperstown (O’Kanes)
- Draperstown (Richard Beattie)
- Dungannon
- Enniskillen
- Fivemiletown
- Gortin
- Hilltown
- Keady
- Kilrea
- Lisahally
- Markethill
- Newtownstewart
- Omagh
- Pomeroy
- Rathfriland
- Swatragh
George Mullan, Managing Director of ABP, said: “As Chair for the Life Beyond Steering Group, I am both delighted and overwhelmed with the help and generosity towards our fundraiser.
“With over 250 items donated by various businesses and individuals across Northern Ireland, it is very encouraging to see the impact this has made in terms of the amount raised.
“We are very grateful for the genuine support and enthusiasm of the farming community who got behind this fundraiser and made an incredible impact in aid of Life Beyond.
“Their generosity has been remarkable and will make a substantial difference to our bereavement support programme”.
Life Beyond provides a unique combination of support, specifically tailored to what each family needs, with an all-in approach that incorporates various aspects of the farming family and the farming enterprise that has been affected by loss.
It provides farm business, financial and technical mentoring support, alongside emotional health, and bereavement counselling including trauma support where needed.
And it also works with farmers and their families where there is a terminal diagnosis within the family, in order to help them plan and to give them space to spend time with their loved ones.
Do you think you could benefit from the services of Life Beyond?
If you or someone you know would benefit from the Life beyond Programme or from speaking with a member of the Rural Support team, please call their free confidential Support Line on 0800 138 1678, open Monday – Friday 9am – 9pm.
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ABOUT RURAL SUPPORT
Rural Support was established in 2002 and provides a range of services for farmers and farming families across Northern Ireland including a support line.
It also provides face-to-face support through its mentoring programme, help with sourcing information and advice about a wide range of issues:
The support line (0800 138 1678) is available 9am-9pm, Monday to Friday (voicemail and options available at all other times. Freephone from all UK landlines and mobiles).
Rural Support co-ordinates the Social Farming Support Service for Northern Ireland, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
Rural Support provides free business, financial and technical mentoring from its dedicated team. It also runs a series of training workshops under the Royal Countryside Fund Resilience Programme and delivers ‘Coping with the Pressures of Farming’ under the CAFRE Family Farm Key Skills Programme.
Life Beyond is a joint programme between Rural Support, Northern Ireland and Embrace FARM, Republic of Ireland.
It provides practical business, financial and technical mentoring support to farming families who have experienced loss – whether through bereavement or survival from a farm accident. It also provides counselling and trauma support in the form of one-to-one mentoring and peer-to-peer group support.
Across the Hedgerow’ is a befriending scheme for lonely and isolated people from farming families and is delivered by Rural Support.
Plough On is a social connection project for older farmers who are isolated and lonely and is funded by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Rural Support is a registered charity with various income streams from government, philanthropic and corporate support. These include DAERA, Public Health Agency, NFU Charitable Trust, Royal Countryside Fund as well as donations from the general public.
For further enquiries contact: Rural Support :
Unit 3, Part 2nd Floor, Molesworth Place, Molesworth Street, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, BT80 8NX.
OFFICE: 028 86760040.
HELPLINE: 0800 138 1678.
WEBSITE: www.ruralsupport.org.uk
