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A Lincolnshire charity that has provided pastoral and practical help to Lincolnshire’s farming and rural families for over 20 years will benefit from a year’s free PR and marketing support courtesy of award-winning agency Shooting Star.

Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) has been selected by the Lincoln-based PR, marketing and digital agency as its charity of the year for 2026.

The charity supports Lincolnshire’s rural and agricultural community, many of whom live in isolated locations and experience problems associated with their physical and mental wellbeing. Their team of over 70 volunteers and staff support over 160 families a year and undertakes 1000 health checks too.

As their Charity of the Year for 2026, Shooting Star will work with Lincolnshire Rural Support Network throughout the year, providing them with PR, marketing, social media and fundraising support.

Amy Thomas, Head of Charity at Lincolnshire Rural Support Network, said:

“We are extremely excited and very grateful to have been chosen as Charity of the Year by the Shooting Star team. There has never been greater need for the support and services that LRSN offers, and while more people are reaching out for support than ever before, we know that there is much more to be done.

“We are looking forward to working with the Shooting Star team to raise awareness of our charity and the support we offer to the farming community.”

LRSN is recognised as an exemplar in its field, with a strong focus on the needs of the people they support within the farming and agricultural community. They hear at first hand the unique challenges and pressures associated with farming, and the impact it can have on individuals’ lives, and as a charity they feel passionate about providing targeted support to Lincolnshire’s farmers.

At a time of significant political, economic and social changes, and a growing sense of overwhelm, Lincolnshire Rural Support Network’s support has never been more in demand. In the last financial year, the team supported 231 families, received 184 helpline calls, worked with 11 people where there had been an identified suicide risk, and supported a further 33 people who had been impacted by the suicide of someone close to them.

Shooting Star Director Jez Ashberry said the whole team is looking forward to working with LRSN in 2026.

“We’ve done some work for LRSN before and we know all about the vital work that they do in the county,” he said.

“Throughout 2026 we will be offering them free support and helping them to take their marketing to the next level as the charity grows.

“We’ll also be doing our best to raise some money for them throughout the year and at our popular annual Chippy Quiz in November!”

Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) is proud to announce that it has been recognised as a winner at this year’s SME News Northern Enterprise Awards.


LRSN has been named Best Countryside Wellbeing and Support Charity – Lincolnshire and has also received the Compassion and Community Service Excellence Award 2025, celebrating its outstanding commitment to supporting the county’s rural and agricultural community.


“We are incredibly honoured to receive these awards,” said Amy Thomas, Head of Charity for LRSN. “This recognition reflects the dedication and passion of the entire LRSN team, and it motivates us to continue striving towards our vision that no one in Lincolnshire’s agricultural and horticultural community suffers alone.”


The awards come at a particularly significant time for the charity, following ongoing challenges facing the agricultural industry. This recognition further reinforces LRSN’s reputation for delivering a consistent, compassionate, and trusted service to rural communities across Lincolnshire.


Awards Coordinator Melissa Bramall shared her thoughts on the 2025 winners:
“The past 12–24 months have been filled with ups and downs, opportunities and challenges, and the peaks and troughs that come with business no matter what industry you’re in. Yet our awardees continue to stand tall. Whether they’re taking their first steps or are longstanding and seasoned enterprises, our winners are all making waves for those around them. It’s a pleasure to be part of your story of success.”


LRSN supports Lincolnshire’s rural and agricultural community, many of whom live in isolated locations and experience challenges linked to their physical and mental wellbeing. Supported by a team of over 70 staff and volunteers, the charity assists more than 160 families each year and carries out around 1,000 health checks annually.


For more information about LRSN and its work, visit www.lrsn.co.uk.
To learn more about the Northern Enterprise Awards and view the full winners list, visit:
https://smenews.digital/awards/northern-enterprise-awards/











Remember your loved one with the Lincolnshire Rural Charities

Is there someone you care about, someone that you want to honour or remember? The Lincolnshire Rural Charities, Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, Lincolnshire Rural & Agricultural Chaplaincy and Lincolnshire Rural Support Network, have joined together to care, honour and remember those in Lincolnshire’s agricultural and horticultural communities that are no longer with us. Our fields of corn project allows you the opportunity to celebrate your loved ones near and far.

The ears of corn will be displayed in the garden of contemplation at this year’s Lincolnshire Show, a space devoted to thinking about, remembering and honouring our friends and family from the agricultural and rural communities. You can purchase an ear of corn for just £40 and dedicate it to that someone you care about, that someone you want to honour or remember, as well as supporting the rural communities in Lincolnshire through the rural charities. The best thing about the ears of corn is that you can collect yours following the Lincolnshire Show and take it home to display in your very own garden, a tribute that will last forever.

The ears of corn stand approximately 90cm tall and are made in Lincolnshire by local blacksmith, Cameron Huggins based in Redbourne. Each one is individually made and can have a name or initials stamped into the reverse of the ear.

Click here to purchase an ear of corn in memory of your loved one, friend or family member. (Please be aware that there is an optional donation amount to blackbaud on the payment page, this can be reduced to zero. This optional amount does not support the charities.)

Blowing in the breeze. Heads bowing as you walk by. Remember that your loved one, is always close by.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to serve as Rural and Agricultural Chaplaincy across the beautiful and diverse county of Lincolnshire.  This new post will strengthen the Christian presence among farming and rural communities, offering pastoral care, advocacy and a visible expression of faith and hope.

The successful candidate will work alongside Revd Canon Alan Robson the current chaplain, who has been supporting the Lincolnshire farming community for over 25 years. 

The Chaplain will:

We are seeking an ordained minister (or equivalent recognised lay worker) who:

Terms: 

The post will be managed through the successful applicant’s sending denomination, supported by an Ecumenical Advisory Group, and funded by LRAC.

For an informal conversation, please contact Mrs Meryl Ward (Chair of LRAC): 07860 565289 or Revd Canon Alan Robson, Lincolnshire Agricultural Chaplain 07542 272049

Email Chaplains@lrac.org.uk to request an application pack.

Wow, what a night! We were totally overwhelmed by the support that we received at our charity auction.

It was a night for LRSN record-breaking! We had record numbers of supporters in the room, we had record numbers of auction lots donated by so many kind and generous individuals, businesses, and organisations linked to our agricultural and horticultural communities, and we raised a record-breaking amount of money…just over £25,000!

A huge thank you must go to every single person who donated, attended, bought raffle tickets, bid on or bought auction lots or supported LRSN at the event. We must also thank the wonderful LRSN volunteers who, as always, did us proud by doing exactly what they do best…getting stuck in!

Thank you to our auctioneer, Will Barker of Will Barker and Co and to our sponsors, Springfields House Association, Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, Dyson Farming, and Cope Seeds.

We are incredibly grateful to our two brave clients who told their stories and featured in our films on the night, we want to thank them for speaking out about the help that they received from LRSN.

Without all of these people, the charity auction would have been such an incredible evening, thank you for helping LRSN support Lincolnshire’s agricultural and horticultural communities and allied industries.

We were delighted to be invited by British Garden Centres to be part of their launch of Christmas at their flagship garden centre in Brigg.

The LRSN team and supporters joined together to enjoy an exclusive social evening and shopping experience in the extensive Christmas department at Brigg Garden Centre. And I can tell you that shop we did!

Amy Stubbs and the team at British Garden Centres provided some wonderful raffle prizes on the evening and along with a percentage of sales, they kindly donated £1,000 to LRSN following the event. We’re incredibly grateful to receive this donation, especially after we’d already had such a wonderful time.

The partnership between LRSN and British Garden Centres is one that LRSN Partnership Coordinator Emma Billings has recently developed and ensures that both parties benefit from the collaboration. If you would like to join British Garden Centres and partner with LRSN, we’d love to hear from you. Every partnership for LRSN is unique and is equally important to the work of the LRSN team.

UK agriculture is entering a period of profound adjustment as direct subsidies are withdrawn and government policy appears increasingly disengaged from food security. While many sectors are experiencing volatility, it is important to recognise that food production remains a strategic necessity.

Although recent harvests and commodity prices have been unfavourable for combinable crops, other sectors—particularly beef, sheep, pig, and egg production—are demonstrating resilience. Their relative success is largely due to supply-side constraints, restricted imports and thus strengthened domestic markets. These industries also carry significant barriers to entry, including regulation, disease and capital expenditure, which limit expansion but expose businesses to higher risk. Having long operated without substantial subsidy support, they have advanced through technology, genetics and management innovation.

By contrast, the combinable crop sector is challenged by the economics of producing globally traded commodities from a structurally high-cost base. Without the protection of subsidies, profitability will depend on either differentiating products to command premium prices or driving substantial efficiency gains. This will require greater application of advanced technologies, genetic innovation, and improved soil and plant management, while adapting to regulatory demands and climate change. The long-term shift may favour biological rather than purely chemical solutions.

At its foundation, crop farming is a process of converting solar energy and water into carbohydrates through photosynthesis, with outputs marketed as grain, oilseed, forage, or straw. Value can be further enhanced by processing these into animal protein. The strategic priority must be to maximise the yield and value of these outputs, while aligning production systems with market demand.

The sector must therefore embrace structural change. Lessons from unsubsidised industries show that adaptation, innovation, and efficiency are essential. Those willing to reform business models and adopt new technologies will be best positioned for long-term competitiveness.

Phil Dunn, Brown & Co

Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) is a trusted resource deeply rooted in the agricultural and horticultural community it serves. We have worked collaboratively to provide support for specific challenges faced by farmers and growers across Lincolnshire since 1999.

LRSN relies completely on income received from grant funding, NHS partnerships, individual giving, legacy gifts, corporate partnerships and income gained from businesses and other organisations that we go to help.

This income is not guaranteed and varies each year, whilst demand for our services grows. This is why creating partnerships with local businesses is essential to ensure we can continue to provide all our invaluable services and expand our reach throughout the county to as many people as possible.

Recent demand for our services is increasing from teenagers to pensioners and business owners and people from all walks of agricultural and horticultural life. We are now working hard to enhance our offering to more people in need than ever before, and the costs of providing such a crucial support network sadly continue to rise.

There are so many ways in which your business could help LRSN to continue to this vital support throughout the county. Choose LRSN as your charity of the year, help to provide lots for our annual auction, hold a company charity event, help to sponsor LRSN events or activities or volunteer for us, offer us your services or expertise. Partnerships between LRSN and our business friends are fundamental to our fundraising strategy and help sustain all our services.

We are extremely grateful to the businesses who have partnered us for many years, supporting specific events, sponsoring our services, or just helping us raise awareness of our activities, which in turn helps others to raise money and organise fundraising events. There are many benefits to working with us, like helping to improve your Corporate Social Responsibility and helping to boost staff morale and local awareness. Helping a charity close to home ensures that you see first-hand the impact your team and your business make on your local communities.  

Graham Main, Managing Director at Peacock and Binnington, long standing supporters of LRSN, agricultural dealers in Lincolnshire and Yorkshire says “The farming and associated trades relationship is not just one of custom, it’s one that goes hand in hand with great friendships. Our LRSN association has enabled us to support those friends in their time of need, our contribution to a local charity for local farmers has always been close to our heart.” 

LRSN provides a lifeline to members of the agricultural and horticultural communities and allied industries. The LRSN helpline (0800 138 1710) is available from 8am – 8pm every day, fully trained volunteers are at the end of the phone ready to listen, there is also a helpline email helpline@lrsn.co.uk for those who don’t feel confident to pick up the phone.

The LRSN vision is that no one in Lincolnshire’s agricultural and horticultural communities should face difficulty alone.

Thanks to the generosity of farming customers and supporters, the nursing support at Melton Mowbray Market will shortly be able to provide simple ECG heart health tests for farmers.

The Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society, which organises the annual fatstock show and sale and the Market itself today presented cheques totalling £3,070 to the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (“LRSN”) help pay for the additional equipment. 

The LRSN provides a nurse at the Market on a fortnightly basis in a free unit shared with the Farming Community Network and this can provide an early warning system for farmers who often fall through the NHS net.  The nurse already provides blood pressure and cholesterol checks alongside a friendly chat and makes referrals if there is anything of concern. The addition of the simple ECG machine will only add to their ability to spot a problem or allay farmers’ concerns.

Hugh Brown, CEO of Melton Mowbray Market, said:

“It is clear that the nursing support at the Market is highly valued by our farming customers and they have generously donated to this cause.”

Jonathan Thompson, Chair of the Melton and Belvoir Agricultural Society, said:

“The Society acts to promote agriculture in the region for this and future generations.  As a result of a generous donation, we are delighted to support the LRSN nurses at Melton Mowbray Market.”

LRSN said:

“We are extremely grateful for the support of the Melton & Belvoir Agricultural Society, the Market and their members. The LRSN nursing team offer a vital service to the farming community, and we are excited to be able to add this new test to our offer. We know that many in the farming community struggle to prioritise their own health over the health of their business, stock or crops, so it’s important that the LRSN nurses are able to offer accessible routine health screening.”

Given the ongoing inflationary pressures facing farming businesses, there is an increasing trend in assessing alternative ways to farm more effectively, managing the relentless rise in costs.

Contract Farming Agreements (CFAs) are becoming an increasingly attractive option for farmers, offering a flexible and more cost-effective approach to agricultural production. These agreements allow landowners and contractors to share responsibilities, risks and rewards while maintaining independence and control over their businesses. The agreement also allows the farmer to retain certain tax status and reliefs where applicable.

In a typical CFA, the landowner retains occupation of the land and provides resources such as buildings and fixed assets. The contractor is responsible for the operations and typically provides the machinery and equipment. At the end of the cropping year, profits are shared according to a pre-agreed formula, typically after paying a basic return to each party for their contributions.

For landowners looking to reduce their involvement in hands-on farming, or those without the capacity to manage operations, CFAs offer an alternative to generate income while preserving long-term land value. It also provides additional benefits from professional management and economies of scale.

For contractors, these agreements offer access to additional land without the need for substantial capital investment or costly tenancies. They also enable business growth by increasing scale and spreading costs across a larger area.

CFAs require careful planning and legal oversight. Clear terms on profit-sharing, decision-making, and dispute resolution are essential to ensure a successful partnership.

Brown&Co manage over 25,000 hectares of land on Contract Farming Agreements and have an in-depth knowledge on the systems required to implement and manage these ventures. The coverage of land allows up to date benchmarking figures to compare the financial and operational performance of a business against industry standards or peers, serving as a vital tool for identifying areas for improvement and enhancing overall efficiency.

Contract farming agreements are well-placed to support further collaboration, innovation, and cost saving resilience in a changing economic and environmental landscape.

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