Woman milks 10,000 cows in 10 days for farming charity

Marie Stephenson has completed a mammoth 10-day journey from Cornwall to Scotland, milking 10,000 cows to raise money and awareness for farming charity RABI.

The Lancashire agricultural professional took on the challenge to highlight the pressures facing farming people and support RABI’s work across England and Wales.

Covering farms along a route stretching the length of Britain, Stephenson used one of dairy farming’s most demanding daily jobs to draw attention to mental health, isolation and wellbeing in agriculture.

Her motivation for taking on the challenge was deeply personal, following a series of losses within her family and local farming community.

Ahead of the challenge, Stephenson said: “I have felt every angle of fighting to stay in farming, through to the heartbreaking decision to walk away.”

She added: “I have the utmost respect for those who stick it out. I want to do something to raise awareness, bring some light to the farms I milk at and share some laughs, as farming can be such a lonely place at times, but I care about it deeply.”

The 10,000-cow target was deliberately chosen to reflect the physical demands faced by dairy farmers while providing an opportunity to start conversations about the less visible pressures of agricultural life.

Stephenson said before setting off: “The challenge comes from a very personal place.”

“After a series of losses close to my family and local farming community, I saw the impact left behind on families, schools and whole communities. I want to do something to raise awareness and help open conversations about mental health in farming.”

Completing the challenge required careful coordination between farms along the route, particularly because of the biosecurity requirements involved in moving between different holdings.

Stephenson worked with her employer’s health and safety team to ensure appropriate measures were followed throughout the journey.

Support also came from across the agricultural community, with farmers and industry contacts helping to coordinate stops and keep the ambitious route moving from Cornwall towards Scotland.

RABI said the challenge had helped shine a light on the pressures experienced by farming people while raising awareness of the support available to them.

Paul Pirie, head of fundraising at RABI, said ahead of the challenge: “Marie's challenge is an extraordinary demonstration of commitment to farming people and the realities they face every day.”

He added: “By taking on something so physically demanding, she's shining a light on the pressures within our industry and helping ensure more farming families know that support is there when they need it most. We're incredibly grateful for her determination and generosity.”

Stephenson’s completion of the challenge brought to an end 10 days of travelling and milking across Britain, with the campaign combining fundraising with a wider effort to encourage conversations around mental health in farming.

Donations in support of the challenge can still be made through Marie Stephenson’s JustGiving page.