Former Land Army girl gives charity talk at abbey
A FORMER Land Army girl was invited to Westminster Abbey to speak about the work of a charity which supports hard-up members of the farming community.
Mary Kenward, 81, of Glynde Avenue, Polegate, gave a brief talk to more than 2,000 people, including the Duke of Gloucester, about the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), a grant-making charity which supports ex-farmers in need or distress.
The service at Westminster Abbey was held to mark its 150th anniversary.
In her talk, Mrs Kenward, who has been left with a spinal complaint following years of heavy work on farms, said RABI had been an 'amazing help'.
She said the charity had given her help with her phone bill, reduced her council tax, sent out hampers at Christmas and birthdays and even took her on holidays to Wales and Devon.
Remembering her days working at Dittons Farm, she told the assembled audience, "I was in the Women's Land Army working on a dairy farm for 1.50 a week.
"I remember a really bad winter in 1947, mucking out and feeding stock in the snow, all jolly hard work but we loved it.
"I carried on working in agriculture, which my husband had done since he was 14 years old.
"He used to watch me over the fence while cutting cauliflowers. My landlady took pity on him and told him to go to the village dance on New Year's Eve and the rest is history.
"Sadly, after several relapses with multiple sclerosis, he had to give up work in his 40s and passed away in 1994. I nursed him for 23 years - if only we had known about RABI then."
Afterwards, Mrs Kenward, who is also a member of the MORE Club for physically disabled people, told the Herald she was delighted to be able to talk about the work of RABI.
For more about the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, its 150th anniversary celebrations, and for a transcript of Mrs Kenward's talk, visit www.rabi.org.uk.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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