ARC-Addington Fund

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2007 NEWS

A Concert  was  held  in a packed Barrow Church ,West Suffolk , on Sunday 4th November  to raise money for the ARC-Addington Fund to assist  farmers who are experiencing difficulties due to the current rural crisis because of flooding , Foot and Mouth disease and Bluetongue.

Father Peter , the rector of Barrow organised professional musicians from Suffolk, London and Australia ,as well as local sponsors Armstrong's (Suffolk's only locally owned  funeral service), the Denham Estate , G. B Seeds , Wilson Wraight agricultural agents "play for the countryside " Over £2000 was raised.

It was a classical concert to give serious support as people from Barrow share with British farmers a serious challenge to rural life . Artists included International harpist Danielle Perrett and Suffolk cellist Rebecca Walker,  together with Australian bass baritone Leslie MacLeod-Miller,  Suffolk soprano  Clare Presland and Australian dramatic soprano Rejieli Shepherd-Paulo  .The Mayor of St Edmundsbury  Cllr. Margaret Charlesworth and Agricultural Chaplain Canon Sally Fogden attended.

Australian dramatic soprano Rejieli Shepherd-Paulo, Father Peter and Suffolk soprano Clare Presland

The children from Cherry Trees School at Risby used the evening to launch their Green Ribbon Campaign for farming awareness and also sang during the concert. Supplies of green ribbons are available for the Fund office. 02476 690587 or email enquiries@arc-addingtonfund.org.uk
Children of Cherry Tree School with the Mayor of St Edmundsbury, Cllr Margaret Charlesworth and sponsors

19th October 2007

The Farming Help charities, ARC-Addington Fund, FCN and RABI, are launching an appeal for funds to help them in their work. Please click here for more information.

Press Release issued by Clarence House 28th September 2007: HRH Prince of Wales raises over £1/2m for Farming Charities please click on this link to read more...

Part of the Fund’s response to the summer flooding has been an initiative to source fodder and straw for the worst affected livestock farms.  In Gloucestershire Christopher Peachey and John Tingey have worked incredibly hard to source supplies.  As a result, a huge quantity of silage and straw has been mobilised.  Our thanks go to all the farmers who turned off the straw chopper, those who allowed us to mow their grass, and to the contractors and hauliers who made time to help us; a fantastic effort all round.

A load of straw leaves Chilton Manor Farm, Arlesford, Hants, destined for Gloucestershire.  Part of the 220 tonnes donated by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Marriott.

 

By kind permission of Chief Executive Nick Everington, The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers were allowing the Fund to have an exit collection from The Dairy Event, in aid of our flood appeal.  Steve Ellwood from HSBC Agriculture also very kindly agreed to matchfund the collection to the first £2,000.  Sadly the Dairy Event became a casualty of the latest outbreak of FMD and was cancelled.  We are extremely appreciative that HSBC has still agreed to forward a cheque for £2,000 towards our work.

Pictured left are Andrew Hunt, HSBC Agricultural banking manager and Laura Dickinson from RABDF presenting Ian Bell from the ARC-Addington Fund with a cheque for £2000
The Fund is very grateful to Mr. John Gatenby, NFU County Chairman for his application to the Scarborough Building Society who have generously donated £500 towards the flood hardship appeal.

8.8.07 Tax help

HM Revenue & Customs has today announced that it will help individuals and businesses finding it difficult to meet their tax obligations due to the FMD outbreak, including a deferment of taxes and duties where taxpayers are unable to pay as a result of severe difficulty. Details are contained in the GNN press release at http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=305957&NewsAreaID=2

8.8.07 Churches respond to foot and mouth anxieties in farming community

Local clergy and rural chaplains, working with the Farm Crisis Network, are providing pastoral care and support to farmers directly affected by the Protection and Surveillance Zones set up in Surrey following the local outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

The Arthur Rank Centre, a partnership between the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the national churches and the Rank Foundation, the churches rural resources unit is providing back up and help as needed. During the national foot and mouth epidemic in 2001, the Centre set up the ARC-Addington Fund that distributed £10.3 million to farmers in 15 months.

“The Farming Help charities are providing support to the wider farming community across Britain for those anxious about the outbreak of foot and mouth,” said Dr Jill Hopkinson, the Church of England’s National Rural Officer. “For some this will bring back difficult memories of the 2001 outbreak, while a prolonged national movement ban on all cattle, sheep, goats, deer and pigs will have a severe impact on cash flows for many.

“Financial hardship is a real concern, particularly among farmers who were expecting to sell stock about this time and in such a difficult year following the recent severe weather. Anyone in farming or a related business with such concerns can contact Farming Help on 07002 326326 to be put in contact with trained local support.”

The Rt. Revd Christopher Hill, Bishop of Guildford, in whose diocese the outbreak was reported, said “My thoughts and prayers are with the farmers, the people at Wanborough, Wyke, Elstead and Wood Street and all involved in investigating and containing this outbreak both locally and at a wider level. Having seen the impact of foot and mouth at close hand in Staffordshire in 2001, I am aware of its enormous emotional and practical costs and the terrible isolation of those in the communities affected.”

Prayers for those affected by the outbreak of foot and mouth disease have been posted on the Church of England website at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/prayers/

  • The ARC-Addington Fund is currently concentrating on hardship grants for flood affected farmers and will monitor the situation with concern, with a view to taking a final decision on Monday 13 August on the availability of hardship grants relating directly to foot and mouth. Farmers in severe financial difficulty currently should contact Farming Help on 07002 326326. For all other enquiries regarding the ARC-Addington Fund contact (024) 7669 0587.
  • The Farming Help Partnership aims to ensure that, in addition to appropriate financial support, long-term pastoral care is provided to the farming community. Long lasting relationships are formed through local support groups and local clergy.
  • Those from non-agricultural businesses, or others from the rural community not directly engaged in farming, who are experiencing stress or distress at this time can call the Rural Stress Helpline on (024) 7641 2916.

Rural Stress Helpline (tel 024 7641 2916) is an Arthur Rank Centre project offering a confidential listening service to those suffering stress or distress in rural areas

7.8.07 Foot and Mouth outbreak

It was with total disbelief that last Friday we heard of the confirmed case of Foot and Mouth Disease on a farm in Surrey.  The entire farming and rural business community is on tenterhooks to see how this situation develops.  A further case, within the restricted area, was confirmed this morning, with the stock having been destroyed overnight.  

The ARC-Addington Fund came into being as the churches’ response to the outbreak of FMD in 2001.  We will continue this week to concentrate on delivering our package of flood hardship grants and pastoral care.  The Trustees will meet on Monday 13th of August to review the FMD situation and decide on a response.   

Rev Robert Barlow is organising a service to show Solidarity and Support for the farming community affected by the flooding, at Ombersley Church, Worcestershire, on Wednesday August 8th at 7.30pm.

Following hard on the heels of Rev Dagmar Winter running the Great North Run is Martin Redfearn- in his boat!  Martin and two colleagues, assisted by a battery-powered dog, are attempting to row 200 miles along the River Thames from Lechlade to Windsor.  More details on martinredfearn

We are extremely humbled by the response we are receiving to our flood appeal.  Similarly we are very grateful for the early offers of support to meet some of the needs already arising from the shutdown in animal movements across the UK, due to the presence of FMD.

The Revd Dr Dagmar Winter is bravely taking part in the Great North Run in aid of the Fund's Flood Appeal. If you would like to pledge your support please follow this link. 

For up to date news regarding the recent flood situation please click here.

On Line donations We can now accept donations on line and if you would like to support the work of the Fund in this way please click here. Thank you. 

'As part of the rural community, George F White are proud to support the ARC-Addington Fund's work and look forward to building a long-term relationship to maintain the social fabric of the North-east countryside'
 
Andrew Entwistle, partner George F White and Rebecca Marshall, National Policy Advisor, TFA presenting Ian Bell with a  cheque for £300.00

 

Farm charities link to make help easy to find

On Monday 2nd July the NFU Mutual hosted a reception at this year's Royal Show to announce the three main farming charities RABI, FCN and the ARC-Addington Fund have joined forces so that farmers, including those affected by the recent floods, find it easier to get help.  The three charities have strengthened their ties and they are all now working under the umbrella of the Farming Help Partnership. RABI can help with domestic expenses, FCN can offer practical and pastoral support and the ARC-Addington Fund operate a Strategic Rural Housing Scheme for people having to leave their farm for financial reasons and are currently administering hardship grants related to the recent food situation. Please see our links page to access these websites. The ARC-Addington Fund is grateful to NFU Mutual for all the help they have given to this move. 
Pictured from left to right are: Ian Bell, Helen Bagwell, Pamela Oldfield, Rosemary Nash, Sir Don Curry, Lise Venthen, Paul Burrows, Sue Eeley and Christopher Jones.
The Fund made a ‘debut’ appearance at this year’s Lincolnshire Show.  Our thanks to Phillip Day and his colleagues at Wilkin Chapman Epton Blades for allowing us to have a presence on their stand for the duration of the show.  We are also very grateful to Mr. Godfrey, The President of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, for permitting the Fund to use his Pavilion for a breakfast on the first day of the show.  Hosted by the Rt. Rev. Dr. John Saxbee, The Bishop of Lincoln, we welcomed the Baroness Byford DBE, Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey and members of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society and supporters of the Fund.  The Agricultural Chaplain for Lincolnshire, Rev Alan Robson, said grace.  We made many new friends over the two days of the show and look forward to returning next year when we shall again be guests of Wilkin Chapman Epton Blades.
Photograph of the Bishop of Lincoln, Baroness Byford and Rev Alan Robson 

How good a judge of dairy cattle are you?

Throughout the Royal show and Great Yorkshire show we are running a sweepstake on when Amethyst will calve. All you have to do is correctly predict the day and time she will calve and for an entry costing £1, you can win a bottle of Malt whisky. Come and find her in the Jersey cattle lines.

Howkins and Harrison have generously adopted the  ARC-Addington Fund as one of their charities for 2007 
There are many ways in which companies can support the Fund and help to keep our costs down. Our thanks to Moove Allen & Innocent of Cirencester for distributing our leaflets and recycling envelopes in their latest newsletter to farming clients.

Our thanks too for the generous co-operation of the Wynnstay Group for distributing our Strategic Rural Housing Scheme leaflets in their last invoice run. Hopefully it will make the bill a little more interesting!!

Success for Barnowl A Magic Amethyst!

Our heifer has had two outings to date, firstly Kenilworth & District Agricultural show and last weekend travelled to the East of England. We have 2 lovely red rosettes and a silver cup in the office from her wins so well done to Charles, Frances, Andrew and Ros and for producing her at both shows so professionally. Her next outing will be the Royal Show so please come and see how she gets on there.

How much does your pinta cost to produce?

For many years now the subject of milk prices have been hitting the headlines in the agricultural press. Please click here for an honest and informative insight to a dairy farm, their costings and the common questions and myths that surround the dairy industry.

Open Farm and Gardens

A most enjoyable and interesting day was had by everyone who came to our Open Farm and Gardens  at Evenley on Monday 11th June. Despite the worrying weather forecast the rain kept away for the day and the Fund is very grateful to Frances & Charles Reader for their interesting tour of their Barnowl Jersey Stud and also to Bob & Janet Cropley for opening up their gardens in aid of ARC-Addington Fund. To date a total of £1163.50 has been received in donations and we would like to thank everyone who helped make the day so successful.

 
During FMD, the Severn Trent Trust Fund (STTF) worked very closely with the ARC – Addington Fund by supporting farmers who were having difficulty in paying their domestic water bills.  The STTF generously forwarded £30,000 of help direct to farming families.
The ARC- Addington Fund started life with one old computer and a borrowed laptop!  The Methodist Church donated sufficient cash to purchase two newer models.  Time marches on and we rely more and more on technology, and we have a new member of staff.  The STTF has again supported the ARC- Addington Fund by giving a grant for £1,433 to purchase two brand new computers.
The Fund is delighted that Brightwells have kindly agreed to sponsor the cost of producing the Fund's headed notepaper.
The ARC-Addington Fund is now the proud owner of Barnowl A Magic Amethyst.  She is an in-calf heifer donated to us by Charles and Francis Reader from their Barnowl Jersey Stud and will be shown during the summer and sold at Beeston Castle in August.

There is another heifer calf coming along, for what should be a ‘different’ fundraising effort over the next three years.  You can track our show successes on our website
The Fund was recently touched to receive a most generous donation from Sparkhill Methodist Church. Sparkhill  is very much an urban community and the incentive to raise funds for ARC- Addington arose when Lloyd Archer attended a Synod at the Arthur Rank Centre, where the Fund  had been profiled. Traditionally the Sparkhill Christmas Fund has been used to raise funds for churches in Jamaica, where a sizeable number of the congregation hail from, but Lloyd had felt sufficiently passionate about ARC-Addington to suggest a change of focus to this country. Sparkhill Methodist Church face particular challenges at this time, in terms of trying to make sense of who they are as a church in a predominantly Muslim community, and because of dwindling numbers of church members, financial hardship presents another set of challenges. 
The photo above shows  a group of some of the church members: Andy Clark, Phil Bertram, Ian Bell (ARC-Addington Fund), Barbara Davies, Alfred Warner, Hanry White and Lloyd Archer.
Farmhouse Breakfast Week 2007: A joint venture between ARC-Addington Fund, RABI and WFU resulted in excess of £1500 being donated which will be shared equally between the Fund and RABI following a successful Farmhouse breakfast and brunch, held at the Fund's office at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. 108 breakfast takeaways were delivered to offices on the showground and 96  brunches were served on the Wednesday of Farmhouse Breakfast week.