1 woman, 10 days, 10,000 cows milked for Rabi

One woman will milk 10,000 cows on a journey from Scotland to Cornwall this August, in a 10-day challenge to raise funds for Rabi and highlight pressures facing farmers.

Marie Stephenson, head of feed additives at Trident Micro Nutri, is undertaking the challenge from 1 to 10 August, visiting farms across the UK as part of a charity fundraiser supporting the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (Rabi).

The initiative is described as “1 woman, 10 days, 10,000 cows”.

See also: 6 top ways farming raised funds for charity in 2025

Ms Stephenson is seeking support from farmers willing to take part, as she works to map a route capable of reaching the 10,000-cow target.

She is aiming to include herds of varying sizes and is still looking for additional farms in Scotland and Wales.

“After seeing such a tough year for so many in agriculture. I felt it was important to do something that highlights how hard our amazing farmers work,” she said.

© Marie Stephenson

Ms Stephenson, who has milked cows for most of her life, said she wanted the challenge to reflect the demands placed on the dairy sector.

She said: “I was just sitting in bed one night, and I thought we had been through so much as an industry, especially the dairy industry, and I knew that I wanted to do something to support.”

She also spoke about personal motivations behind the fundraiser, describing how both of her teenage children had lost friends to suicide.

“They have both lost a couple of friends to suicide, and we felt helpless. I really wanted to do something to help and raise awareness,” she said.

Ms Stephenson said Rabi had previously worked closely with farms she was involved with, adding:

“They did training with us on how to look out for farmers who might be struggling, so I really wanted to support them in their mission.”

Farmers interested in taking part are invited to contact Ms Stephenson direct by calling 07715 623544 or emailing marie.stephenson@tridentmicronutri.com