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The Prince’s Countryside Fund has announced that it will donate £50,000 from its emergency fund to help farmers and rural communities affected by the flooding in Reeth and Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is distributing the £50,000 via The Addington Fund, a charity which was set up in response to the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic, who aim to help farmers with disaster relief.  The Addington Fund are also working with ForageAid, who support farmers whose livestock has been affected by an extreme weather event by providing forage and/or bedding to those in need.

If your farm business has been affected by this flooding, please visit www.addingtonfund.org.uk, call  01926 620135, or email enquiries@addingtonfund.org.uk to find out how you can benefit from this funding.

Claire Saunders, Director, The Prince’s Countryside Fund said: “The flooding in Yorkshire has been localised but is very severe, with farms having lost hundreds of sheep, miles of dry-stone walls being destroyed, and machinery washed away. The Prince’s Countryside Fund aims to support the people who live and work in our countryside and we hope that this emergency funding will help to get those affected back on their feet. Rural and farm businesses are key to supporting thriving countryside communities and we want to help get those affected up and running again as soon as possible.”

Bill Young, CEO at The Addington Fund said: “We are delighted that as usual the PCF is one of the first charities to act. Farmers in such situations tend to suffer in silence and this will enable us, in conjunction with our fellow charity Forage Aid to act swiftly. Our first concerns will be to help with dead stock disposal and ensuring animals have enough uncontaminated feed and forage to get through this difficult period. Both charities have the infrastructure in place to react quickly and our aim will be to help get these farms ready for what could be a difficult winter anyway with so much uncertainty in the market place. We are very grateful to Claire and her team for identifying the need and acting so rapidly.”

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is also working with the Dry Stone Walling Association, who have been supported via the Fund’s grants programme for several years, to provide trained volunteers to help rebuild the dry stone walls that have been destroyed by flooding, as well as the Yorkshire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, whose members have been volunteering to assist with the clear up efforts.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund is also raising money to further support farmers in North Yorkshire. If you would like to pledge your support to help these farmers in a time of need, please donate.

If you are to help by donating any forage or bedding to farms affected, please get in touch with ForageAid at www.forageaid.org.uk.