The generosity of the farming community knows no bounds

In the Marts The Heart Standing the Test of Time series supported by the LAA and Shearwell data we highlight just a few of the many occasions where farmers, with the help of auction marts, have raised enormous sums of money for charity.

Farmers are renowned for their generosity and desire to help others. This has never been more clearly demonstrated than by the huge number of charity sales and fundraising events, not just at Christmas, but throughout the whole year, they have contributed to, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

Lynne Smith, a farmer from Leamington Spa, was at Rugby market and witnessed the generosity of the people bidding for items and donating to charity at the Christmas show and sale.

She said: “I have seen it many times before but it never ceases to amaze me just how generous livestock farmers and people associated with the markets are. It is not just farmers but people on the fringes as well.

“I know many of these people have their own issues and challenges, but they are always happy to give to others. Standing in the market and looking round made me feel very humble and very proud to be part of the farming community.

“Farmers, and particularly livestock farmers, seem to get so much criticism from the mainstream press and some elements of the public. I think it is time they got a pat on the back for all the good they do, not only within their own sector but for the wider community and charity and it would be so nice if the general public got a chance to hear of these things occasionally.”

DARLINGTON

In the past 16 months Darlington Farmers Auction Mart has raised more than 15,000 for Darlington MIND, a charity very close to its heart. In addition, it has raised 1,400 for The Brain Tumour Charity and 300 for the Great North Air Ambulance.

The Christmas Fair raised 1,300 for RABI who also ran their own fund raising on the evening so the overall figure will be much higher.

Emma Sanderson, one of the market staff, completed 100 star jumps a day in November and was able to donate 1,500 to Brain Tumour Research.

SELBY

Over the years Selby auction mart has raised 5,469 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and also money for York Against Cancer, Yorkshire Cancer Research and Leeds General Teenage Cancer Trust

This year’s Christmas Fair and Show raised an additional 1,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, 500 York Against Cancer, 500 Yorkshire Cancer Research.

In 2020 they held an evening event, Auction of Promises for the South Yorkshire Flood Disaster, which affected a number of the mart’s customers and raised 9,718.

J36

You are never to young to start supporting charities and the highlight of the of the opening store lamb sale at J36 was four-year-old Freddie Willison, Levens, selling his pet lamb, Bob, to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

Bob first sold for 300 to John and Rachel Geldard, and then went on to be sold another four times, eventually raising more than 2,000.

SKIPTON

Charity auctions staged alongside Skipton’s Christmas primestock shows and sales realised 4,000 for Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope, Brooklands Community Special School in Skipton and the Addington Fund.

At the Christmas prime lamb sale Michael Daggett and family, Hartlington, donated a lamb shown by his grandchildren which sold eight times making an additional 1,296 for Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice.

Several events were held in aid of Hannah Brown, Dutton, who died so tragically young earlier this year. In May, several sheep donated in Hannah’s memory raised 2,240 for Eden Valley Young Farmers Club and other charity lamb sales raised hundreds of pounds for Sepsis UK, in Hannah’s memory.

Manorlands funds were further boosted by 1,500 through a charity steak night organised by Michael Winchester, then 500 from a lamb donated by Ken and Hazel Gamble, Easingwold, in memory of former Skipton mart foreman Royston Baxter.

BENTHAM

At Bentham in March a ewe and lamb was donated by the Gorst family, Killington, in memory of the late Jane Gorst raising 3,400 after being sold several times, plus donations, which went to the North West Air Ambulance.

In August a charity auction was held in memory of late Robert Whitfield, Tatham, raising 7,000 for the Farming Community Network.

At the gimmer lamb weekend in September a Mule gimmer lamb donated by A.C. and K. Pye raised 850 for Ronald McDonald House, a pair of Mule gimmer lambs donated by S.J. and P. Gardner made 740 for Action for Wellbeing and the gimmer lamb judging and hog roast made 800.

NEMSA charity fund-raisers

Members of North of England Mule Sheep Association (NEMSA) have netted some fabulous sums for charity at this year with the support of The Mule Group.

Every vendor who sold at Kirkby Stephen’s main Mule gimmer lamb sale donated 110 towards The Great North Air Ambulance Service raising 6,000.

At the big two-day Hawes sale, the champion Mule gimmer shearling from Rugby Mart was donated by Henry Tustain to be sold for Sepsis UK in memory Hannah Brown, raising 1,000.

Leyburn Mart customers supported The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Sepsis UK via livestock sales and other donations, while at the annual gimmer lamb opener Tom Anderson, Middleham, offered a single sheep to be sold for Sepsis UK, both again in Hannah’s memory, raising 300.

Charity lambs were donated by NEMSA members at Hexham’s opening sale raising 1,812 again going to the Great North Air Ambulance.

GNAA was again the beneficiary when 1,160 was raised at Wigton Auction Mart, with all marts receiving high praise from the service for their efforts. A spokesperson said: “To enable us to continue to provide this service we must raise more than 5m each year. We couldn’t continue to operate without you. Your donations will impact on the lives of people right across the region. Last year we were called out 1,640 times.”

At Cockermouth’s Mule shearling sale Thomas Hird, Westray, donated two Suffolk gimmer lambs sold raising 620. At the Mule gimmer lamb sale, John Ritson, Baggra Yeat, donated his sale average of 150, while A.G.and K.F Nicholson, also donated a Mule prime lamb which grossed 200.

These donations went to Martyn Mawson Memorial Fundraising, which supports four charities, The Great North Air Ambulance, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, The Alzheimer’s Society and Prostate Cancer UK.

At Kendal, several vendors presented lambs to be sold in aid of a number of local charities, raising 1,000, while at Tow Law various vendors donated lambs, with proceeds going to the “My name’5 Doddie Foundation.”

NEMSA’s national chairman, Cumbrian hill farmer Chris Harrison said: "The fund-raising efforts by the North of England Mule community, along with the support of auction marts and The Mule Group, are worthy of high praise. Their generosity has been amazing and has helped boost the coffers of these worthwhile charities who do such sterling work at both national and regional level."

RUGBY

AT Rugby mart’s Christmas primestock show 3,000 and still counting was raised for Blood Cancer UK. The champion lambs sold for 710/head to Pak Mecca Meats, Birmingham, which then put them back up for sale and bought them again for 400 which went to the charity.

The remainder of the money was raised by selling the produce entered in the show, a hogg roast and a raffle.

WHARFEDALE

At the Christmas show three lambs sold for charity, making 500 each, with John and Mary Carr, Askwith, donating one lamb for Cancer Research UK, another lamb from auctioneer Ian Smith was sold on behalf of Underprivileged Children for Christmas gifts and the other was donated by John Croft and family, with proceeds going to Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice.

MARKET DRAYTON

AT Market Drayton, a pedigree Charollais ram sold 11 times enabling 7,000 to be given to charity. It was donated by farmer and builder, Chris Jones, who along with friend, Alex Price, was running the London Marathon. It sold for 1,000 twice, with both buyer donating it back, Barbers Auctions, then bought it for 950 and were followed by eight more buyers, totalling 7,000 which was split between the runners two charities, The Meningitis Research Foundation and Leukemia Care.

WINSLOW

At the Winslow Christmas primestock show and sale held in the town square, with Melton Mowbra y market as auctioneers, John and Pauline Claridge and family, Winslow, donated a Beltex ewe lamb to be auctioned for charity raising 550 for Prostate Cancer.

A further 1,900 was raised by the sale of produce including a Stilton cheese, pork pie and Christmas cake, much of which was bought and donated back for resale.