RXW19

June 08, 2018

Our 2nd Rural Week of 2018 at Bicton College in Devon in early June enjoyed fine weather and we welcomed our first referral from https://blesma.org/ and the good weather held for a visit from the Royal Foundation who are interested in supporting our Rural Weeks.

We met one of our HighGrounders last year when Anna attended the Royal Marines Charity Resettlement Fair at CTC Lympstone which just goes to show the word is spreading…

And, we were joined by Nick, Seb and Virgil – read on to find out more…!!

RXW19 was funded by St James’s Place Wealth Management, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the RAF Benevolent Fund to whom we extend our grateful thanks.

Nev Nixon RM was Course Manager and our evening speakers were Rob Batson from Bickleigh Riding Stables, Tom Garner, now Head of Deer Management for Clinton Devon Estate and Nev – they all shared their experience of transition from the military and their contacts with the generosity and willingness which characterise all our ex military evening speakers, no matter what they are doing now…

It isn’t easy to explain exactly how Rural Weeks help and we were very grateful to all our HighGrounders who spoke to Karen from the Royal Foundation when she came to visit to find out more about what we do and why it works.

Without their honesty and willingness to share, we would have lost a precious opportunity for a potential funder and supporter to gain an insight into how they can help us in the future and we really cannot thank them enough.

Chris Shepherd put together another fantastic programme and we thank John from Clinton Devon, Roger Halliday, Julia Birchall-Mann from BASC, Andrew Freemantle from Broadclyst Community Farm, RSPB, Ground Control, British Eventing, Glendale, Sampson Hall, Terry Farkins and Hi-Line.

It was a very busy week and as always we thank each and every one of you for sharing your precious knowledge, contacts, and experience so generously.

HighGround relies entirely on grant-making trusts and foundations and public donation to fund our work and when Nick Price and Seb Owens suggested they raise money for us whilst taking part in the Mongol Rally I was over the moon.

They brought Virgil their car (as yet with no stickers but this was to change by the time they crossed the start line..) to Bicton to experience a Rural Week and understand better how it all works and why it is so important to keep raising money to support HighGround’s work.

After another great evening in the Sir Walter Raleigh on Thursday, we all headed home and you can see the story of our Rural Week in pictures.

Last word:

Hi Anna,
I completely agree with everything Nick has said, it was a very insightful two days which we thoroughly enjoyed
and we are very grateful to have witnessed your great work first hand. Thank you.
Seb Owen, half of the Hotsteppers…

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