A farming charity are giving out festive hampers to those farming families who need extra support this Christmas season.
For many, Christmas can be the loneliest time of the year for farmers, especially those in the more remote areas of the UK.
That’s one of the reasons why the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) gives festive hampers to farmers.
This year, Joan is the face of the farming charity's Christmas Hamper Campaign for 2018.
At the age of 17, Joan joined the women’s land army and was sent to work on a dairy farm, where she met her husband William.
She contacted RABI when William became ill during retirement. She said: “I heard about the RABI on radio Oxford. They sent a welfare officer to see us, take our details and assess our needs.
“He made sure we were getting all the benefits that were available. I was already getting attendance allowance, but he helped us get a carers’ allowance.”
Joan and William were made full-beneficiaries and received quarterly grants to help with expenses and a winter allowance to help them keep warm.
“Sadly, my husband passed away in 2011, but RABI continues to support me with the same benefits,” she said.
“I did ring them up and asked where I could get an alarm system as I was worried about falling down the stairs on my own. RABI were the people I turned to.
“They know so much and so many people, they’re so willing to help. They’ve enriched my life.”
