The Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, Keith Halstead, was delighted to be invited to speak about the recent grant award by The Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity at their Annual Summer Reception at The Queen’s Chapel & Marlborough House Gardens, St James’s Palace, London on Thursday 27th June 2024.
The Royal Warrant Holders Association (RWHA) is a prestigious organisation representing individuals and companies who hold Royal Warrants of Appointment. These warrants are a mark of recognition for those who have supplied goods or services to the Royal Households for at least five years. The RWHA Charity provides grants to charities nominated by Royal Warrant-holding companies or their employees.
Pamela Harper, Chairman of The RWHA Charity, said, “It was an immense pleasure to have Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, address our Royal Warrant-holding members and their guests at our Annual Summer Reception. It is because of the generosity of our member companies that we are able to reach out across the nation and work with charities like The Royal Countryside Fund in their important work to help rural communities “
Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said, “Our Biodiversity programme that Barbour funded in Northumberland was such a success that the RCF wished to extend the programme and offer it to family farms in Lancashire this autumn. All participants rated their post-workshop knowledge on biodiversity at least 7 out of 10, with median knowledge levels increasing by 20%, demonstrating the significant impact of this programme. This grant from the RWHA Charity Fund will now enable us to build on this success and reach ever more farming families.”
With the grant of £10,000 from the RWHA Charity, the Royal Countryside Fund will be able to deliver a complete Biodiversity workshop in Lancashire, covering all aspects from expert consultant fees to evaluation and core costs.
The Biodiversity workshop, piloted in Northumberland in February 2024, aims to equip farmers with practical knowledge and tools to enhance farmland biodiversity whilst maintaining viable business models. The programme covers crucial areas such as understanding biodiversity in the context of farm operations, setting objectives, identifying key habitats and species, and exploring economic opportunities through agri-environment schemes.
The Royal Countryside Fund, founded by HM King Charles III in 2010, has established strong relationships with several Royal Warrant Holders over the years. The RCF was nominated for this grant by Dame Margaret Barbour of Barbour, a valued corporate partner of the charity since its inception.
Keith Halstead added, “We are immensely grateful for this grant from The Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity. It will allow us to continue our founder’s vision of creating a thriving and sustainable countryside by providing vital support to family farms.”
For more information about The Royal Countryside Fund and its programmes, please visit www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk.
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