Magical Farmers’ Choir concert raises over £56,000 for RSABI

The sell-out concert at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, was supported by almost 700 attendees who enjoyed 18 magical songs, culminating in a stirring rendition of Caledonia with a piper bringing the evening to a close.

The event, hosted by farmer-comedian Jim Smith, was a celebration of the farming community’s generosity and unity, with performances led by the 88-strong Farmers’ Choir under the direction of choirmaster, Kate Picken MBE.

A highlight of the evening was the auction, which raised an impressive £7,400. Harvey Stuart, a trainee auctioneer with ANM Group, rose to the occasion with confidence and skill, securing a fantastic amount for the charity, which is grateful to everyone who provided or bought auction and raffle prizes.

RSABI’s chair, Jane Mitchell, expressed her gratitude to everyone involved.

She said: “We are thrilled with the result of this event. The support we received from the farming community, our sponsors, and all who attended is truly heartwarming. The funds raised will go a long way in ensuring we can continue to provide our vital services to those in need.”

The event was generously sponsored by Stewart Trailers, the headline sponsor, with additional support from silver sponsor, the ANM Group Ltd, and bronze sponsors Harbro and East Coast Viners as well as all of the generous local businesses who sponsored songs on the evening. All proceeds from the evening will go directly towards RSABI’s services, providing free, confidential practical, financial, and emotional support to the Scottish farming community.

Mandy Stewart, who runs Stewart Trailers with husband James, said the Inverurie-based company had been delighted to support the event.

She said: “The atmosphere on the night was superb and it was great to see so many people in the farming community relaxing and enjoying a catch-up, as well as the outstanding musical experience provided by The Farmers’ Choir.

“James and I feel very grateful to everyone who has supported us on our journey as we have grown our business and it is a pleasure to be able to give back by supporting an event like this and playing our part in raising such an exceptional amount.”

The support RSABI offers includes free counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.