The Great British Farm-Fest is doubling down on doing good this May, as it announces its support of not one, but two Official Charities during the brand-new three-day festival – RABI, the Farmers Charity (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution) and Shout UK, the UK’s first and only free confidential, 24/7 text messaging service.

RABI will also be supporting The Great British Farm-Fest's search for the nation’s Farming Heroes. The initiative is designed to offer a high-profile platform for telling the diverse stories of resilience, skill, innovation and critical challenges faced by the agricultural sector.

The Festival is calling on industry bodies, professionals, and the wider rural community to nominate individuals whose achievements embody the spirit of modern British farming. This could be through advancements in sustainability, exceptional technical skill, crucial community contribution, or remarkable tenacity in overcoming business and environmental adversity.

Each selected Farming Hero will receive complimentary festival access and an invitation to an exclusive Farming Heroes area, where the nominated heroes may meet each other and be celebrated throughout the event. Nominations are open online now, until 22 April.

Founded in 1860, RABI provides practical, financial and emotional support to farming people across England and Wales. The charity offers advice on benefits and independent living, guidance through complex processes, and access to a free 24/7 helpline providing confidential counselling and mental health training.

Farmers are currently facing a period of sustained pressure from financial uncertainty, potential isolation, long working hours and lack of bureaucratic certainty. According to a Shout UK 2025 survey, two thirds of conversations with farmers had during a 12-month period were related to work-related stress, with over half of callers citing isolation and loneliness as a key driver in their unhappiness.

Chris Hughes, Festival Director at  Farm-Fest, said: “UK agriculture is underpinned by incredible dedication, but the diverse stories of those working on the ground often go untold. Our Farming Heroes initiative is designed to change that.

“We want to hear about the dairy farmer who innovated to tackle rising costs, the arable farmer protecting the environment, the young farmer taking on a huge challenge, or the seasoned professional passing on vital skills. We believe these stories will elevate the industry narrative and showcase the vital role farming plays in our national life.”

In addition to nominating their farming hero, across all three days, festivalgoers can get involved in plenty of feel-good fundraising fun, from five-minute fast-donation slots to sponsoring squares in Jeremy Clarkson’s newly invented Battlesh**s game.

“We’re extremely proud to be named as joint Official Charity Partner at The Great British Farm-Fest,” says Lee Krawczyk, Head of Marketing and Communications at RABI. “This exciting festival provides a powerful platform to celebrate the sector, showcase farming to a wider audience and bring the farming community together. We look forward to being part of the celebration and sharing more about the practical, financial and emotional support RABI provides to farming people every day of the year.”

An online service, Shout UK, offers key support helping those who are in distress and need urgent, in the moment, support. As a charity, it provides specialist support for farming and rural mental health, including night-time coverage, and is capable of active rescue.

"Farming communities face unique pressures,” says Shout UK Partnership Manager Francesca Hughes, “And too often those challenges are carried alone. Through our partnership with The Great British Farm-Fest, we want to make sure every farmer knows that free, confidential support is just a text away, any time, any day.” 

Visitors can expect to see TV’s favourite farmers Jeremy Clarkson, Lisa Hogan, Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland, as well as Adam Henson, Matt Tebbutt, The Farmer’s Dog, award-winning Hawkstone Beer and Cider and Diddly Squat Farm Shop. On the music stage as Groove Armada (DJ Set), Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Alex James’ Britpop Classical and DJ Chris Moyles, as well as many others. It will be the perfect blend of live music, farming icons, acclaimed chefs, culinary creativity and activities for the whole family, full to bursting with fresh festival energy.

Farmers and their families will benefit from half-price tickets which have been specially allocated to three farming partners, Farmers Guardian, The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, the NFU and the Royal Agricultural University.

Adult day tickets start from just £60*, with VIP, Weekend and Camping options also available. VIP tickets include incredible main stage views, access to a private bar, exclusive facilities and even priority parking.