A Berriew farmer who was seriously injured in a work accident has repaid a charity that helped his family through the crisis.
In 2005, Dai Davies spent four months in North Staffordshire Hospital after he suffered a serious head injury in a freak farming accident.
He was unable to work for six months and still has little memory of the incident, when he was struck on the head by a hammer while putting up a fence.
It was a difficult period in Dai’s life, but fortunately he’s made a full recovery.
This month, the 51-year-old self-employed farmer from Berriew said thank you to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I), who helped him when he needed it most, by presenting the charity with a cheque for £4,805.
Back in 2005/06, R.A.B.I helped Dai pay some of his domestic bills.
Dai raised £625 for R.A.B.I through his 50th birthday party in January 2014.
When he was made captain of Lakeside Golf Club soon after, Dai chose R.A.B.I as his captain’s charity for his year of office – with a series of fundraisers proving hugely successful. Entry fees and an auction at a Lakeside charity golf day raised £1,929.50 and a ‘night golf’ event added a further £196.
A race night in April generated a further £1,188.
The rest of the money came from raffles, donations and nearest-the-pin competitions throughout the season.
Dai said: “I really don’t remember very much about the accident but I know it was hard on my wife Sandra, because she had to look after three children while I was miles away in hospital in Stoke.
“I was glad to be able to do something for R.A.B.I and I wanted to give back more than I received from the charity.”
R.A.B.I is a welfare charity which helps farmers and farmworkers of all ages, giving out grants of around £2 million each year.
Much of the funding comes from public donations, events arranged by county committees and support from businesses and community groups.
Linda Jones, R.A.B.I regional manager for Wales, said: “Many people do not realise that we help farming people in lots of different ways, including working farmers.
“In 2014, we gave out around £297k in grants to working farmers – helping with domestic bills, paying for relief workers on farms when people were sick or injured or covering costs if a sick child is in hospital.
“We’re extremely grateful to Dai, his family and everyone at the Lakeside Golf Club for thinking of us and raising funds. This money will go towards helping others farmers when they are in financial difficulties.”
