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Simple Power helps charity take to the road

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Wind energy company Simple Power has aided Rural Support, a local charity committed to helping farming and rural communities across Northern Ireland to commission a new vehicle to enhance its services.

As part of Simple Power’s CSR commitment, the company works with Rural Support providing financial support alongside fundraising activities that will help the charity to deliver its much-needed service throughout Northern Ireland.

Rural support director, Jude McCann said: “We are very grateful and thankful to all of our generous funders, including Simple Power, who have helped to provide and brand this much needed vehicle. The van will enable us to dramatically enhance our outreach activities.  It will also help us to deliver our services that help farmers in every county of Northern Ireland deal with a range of issues including emotional distress, suicide risk, physical and mental health, farming paperwork and bureaucracy.”

Rural Support was formed in 2002 following the Foot and Mouth epidemic which had a severe impact on farmers and on the rural community in Northern Ireland. There was evidence of distress within the rural community and the need for a support service was identified.   Rural Support provides support through a helpline which offers a listening and signposting service for farmers and rural families.

Simple Power chief executive, Philip Rainey said: “We are extremely proud of our partnership with Rural Support, a charity that delivers a vital service to farmers and rural communities across Northern Ireland. We’re already supporting the rural economy by helping farmers and landowners to embrace wind energy, boosting farm incomes and rural communities.   But in addition to these direct economic benefits, we felt it was important to make a social investment in the rural community and are delighted to extend this commitment by working with Rural Support and helping them commission the vehicle.”

In addition to its partnership with Rural Support, Simple Power actively supports the farming community in Northern Ireland including key partnerships with the Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster, Farm Safety Partnership and by supporting the annual Farming Life Awards in Northern Ireland.