NFU donate £7899 to RNCI

Royal Northern Countryside Initiative receives vital support from local insurer to help educate children about rural life in Aberdeenshire 

Royal Northern Countryside Initiative (RNCI) is delighted to receive a donation of £7,899 from NFU Mutual’s national £2.33 million Agency Giving Fund, thanks to the nomination from the Aberdeen City & Shire agency team. 

Now in its sixth year, the Agency Giving Fund supports frontline charities across the UK who are making a meaningful difference in their communities. The fund forms part of NFU Mutual’s wider £4 million charitable pledge for 2026, aimed at helping both local and national organisations. 

With more than 280 NFU Mutual agency offices across the country invited to nominate charities in their area, RNCI is proud to have been selected for support that will directly benefit children and schools throughout Aberdeenshire. 

RNCI Chairperson, Emma Ruxton, said: 

"We are incredibly grateful for this generous donation, which will make a real and lasting difference to children across our region. It will enable us to bring even more young people closer to farming, food and the countryside through practical, memorable experiences. 

The cost of transport is one of the biggest barriers to arranging farm visits. This funding will help cover the cost of buses, giving more children the chance to step onto a working farm, meet the people who produce their food and experience the countryside first-hand. Importantly, the funding will ensure that 1,300 pupils are able to get out onto the farm, giving them hands‑on learning experiences they would not otherwise have access to. 

It will also support our classroom talks, windowsill garden projects, wormery loans, activity boxes and specialist events – all designed to make learning about food, farming and the countryside exciting, accessible and fun. 

Many children have little or no connection to agriculture, so these experiences can be truly eye-opening. They help children understand where their food comes from, how it is produced and why caring for our countryside matters. 

From everyone at RNCI, a heartfelt thank you. Your support is helping us reach more children, build valuable partnerships with schools and inspire the next generation to value farming, food and the countryside." 

Sarah Law, Agent at NFU Mutual’s Aberdeen City & Shire Agency, added: 

"We are delighted to be able to support the hugely valuable work undertaken by RNCI. From the classroom on wheels to bringing children onto local farms to learn where their food comes from, the value of this work cannot be underestimated when feeding the minds and ambitions of the next generation. 

We have such a rich agricultural heritage in the area and, coupled with the fantastic staff and volunteers of RNCI, being able to support their ambitions is a real privilege."