Rural support win prestigious award for their bereavement support programme
Rural Support, the trusted ‘Farm Support Charity for Northern Ireland’, recently won a prestigious award at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland Fundraising Awards for their Life Beyond bereavement support programme. The event was held in the magnificent surroundings of the Drawing Office in Titanic Hotel in Belfast on Thursday 19th June 2025.
Life Beyond is a programme of support delivered by Rural Support for farming families in Northern Ireland who have experienced loss through a farm accident, suicide, unexpected or expected death and is facilitated in partnership with Embrace FARM. For one week in September 2024, 22 marts across Northern Ireland hosted a Mart Auction Fundraiser in aid of the bereavement support programme, raising an incredible £87,532.54 from over 250 items donated by local businesses and individuals across the province.
Kevin Doherty, Rural Support CEO said, “On behalf of the entire Rural Support team, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude in winning Fundraising Event of the Year in recognition of our Life Beyond Mart Auction Fundraiser. Running such a large-scale event was a labour of love. It took months of planning, dedication, and collaboration with the wider agri sector to make it such a success. This award is not just about the event—it’s about the impact we have created together, and the legacy Life Beyond will have within the farming community. Thank you to Chartered Institute of Fundraising Northern Ireland for this recognition, it fuels our passion to continue doing meaningful work across the agri sector. This is the first time we have been nominated in this awards ceremony, and we are delighted with the result!”
The Life Beyond programme provides a unique combination of farm business and counselling support, specifically tailored to the needs of the farm family. The aim of the programme is to improve the mental, social, and physical wellbeing of farm families who have experienced loss or trauma, as well as providing support with the farm business. Services are all provided at no cost to the farming family and are delivered in an empathetic and confidential manner.
Since its inception in 2021, Rural Support have helped over 100 farming families across Northern Ireland in their time of need and supported them through their bereavement and personal journey. Demand for the charity’s bereavement support programme has more than doubled since 2021 and nearly 90% of families who engage with Life Beyond, also receive counselling support to help with grief, family tensions, mental health and trauma support.
Do you think you could benefit from the services of Life Beyond?
If you or someone you know would benefit from the Life Beyond bereavement support programme or from speaking with a member of the Rural Support team, please call their freephone confidential Support Line on 0800 138 1678, open Monday - Friday 9am – 9pm. Alternatively, you can visit their website www.ruralsupport.org.uk and click ‘Get Help’, located at the top righthand side of the page.