Jim Smith and Auctioneers Urge Farmers to #KeepTalking

The Winter 2022 #KeepTalking campaign by the charity, which supports people in Scottish agriculture, will again be fronted by Perthshire farmer and comedian, Jim Smith.

This year RSABI is also looking for local volunteers to help grow the number of venues hosting “Carols at the Marts” in the coming weeks. Over a dozen auction market venues in Scotland have signalled they are keen to be involved and host an evening of festive fun and Carol singing, building on the successful events run in the past at markets including Forfar, Ayr and Dingwall.

Anyone interested in helping to organise a Carols at the Marts event in their locality should email [email protected] with their contact details and the mart venue they would be keen to help with.

The hope is to involve local organisations of all ages including young farmers clubs and choirs. Singing is very good for mental health and, during its 125th anniversary year, as a thank you to the agricultural community for the support given to the charity, RSABI is contributing to the cost of a hot drink and snack at each event.

The big message of this year’s #KeepTalking campaign is to encourage people in agricultural communities in Scotland to reach out and reconnect with friends, neighbours, relatives and others who might be feeling isolated this winter.

RSABI’s freephone Helpline - 0808 1234 555 - is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and calls won’t show up on phone bills.

Neil Wilson, Executive Director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS), said he was delighted with the way Scottish auctioneers have responded to the call to support Carols at the Marts.

“Scotland’s auction markets are very much the heartbeat of Scotland’s agricultural communities – as both hubs of commercial and social activity.

"This reputation has been built up over decades and so it is wonderful to see auctioneers behind the country getting behind this RSABI initiative,” said Mr Wilson.