Fun-filled Welly Week to raise funds for farming charity RABI

The first ever RABI Welly Week kicks off on 11 October.

A whole host of welly-related activities will be taking place across England and Wales to raise funds for the countryside’s best-known charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI).

RABI’s voluntary fundraisers are being joined by Young Farmers Clubs, students, agricultural businesses, schools and churches to organise events to help provide essential equipment and aids for elderly and disabled members of the farming community.

From sedate lunches, harvest festivals and cheese and wine evenings in wellies or welly-wanging, welly speed-dating and wild welly parties, a range of boot events are happening.

On the front foot. Some of the FW team get into the spirit of Welly Week

“At the same time as raising much-needed funds, the wide variety of activities will help to raise awareness of the support that RABI provides for those in need in the farming community,” says RABI chief executive Paul Burrows.

The week will include at least two attempts to get in the Guinness Book of Records. North Beds Young Farmers Club have produced what they claim to be the largest pair of wellies and students at Bicton College will be attempting the biggest ever Welly Conga.

Lancashire YFCs will be transporting a giant welly across the county Calderdale YFC are staging a Welly Olympics and Lincs YFC are holding a Welly Fashion Show.

Moulton College, meanwhile, have a Welly Tractor Pull and Askham Bryan College’s activities include a Welly Sensation Event.

At the NFU’s Stoneleigh headquarters, staff will be celebrating Welly Wednesday, including wearing them to work – an activity which is going on in lots of businesses and schools.

There will be numerous Welly-Wanging competitions, including at the British Ploughing Championships in Kent, and several other ploughing matches.

Several churches are including welly events with their harvest celebrations, including a Harvest Hooley at St Mary’s Church, Weavenham, Cheshire.

There is still time to join the fun. If you want to register an event or find out what is happening near you, visit the website www.rabi.org.uk or phone Melanie at RABI on 01865 724 931.