Countryside Fund has been honoured with a Royal change of name

Following King Charles III’s Coronation in May 2023, The Prince’s Countryside Fund has been officially renamed as the Royal Countryside Fund.

The Countryside Fund was founded in 2010 to support family farms and rural communities by His Majesty King Charles.

The charity provides farming families with tailored support and expertise in business training and land management advice, enabling them to prosper and survive.

Since forming over ten years ago, the charity has supported more than 2,500 family farms and 150,000 people living in rural communities across the UK, awarding £11.2m in funding.

The new name has been approved by the King and is the first of his charities to undergo this transition.

It echoes the promise the King made in his accession speech, to ensure that the “important work” carried out by the charities he had long championed “will go on in the trusted hands of others”.

Heather Hancock LVO DL, Chair of Trustees at The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “This is a truly significant moment for our charity, setting us up for a long and successful future with a Royal renaming that embodies our special heritage.

“King Charles played a unique role as an enabler and catalyst in many areas of public life.  In doing so, his empathy and respect for farming and the countryside have always stood out.  People in the countryside have long valued His Majesty’s support and championing for the challenges they face, and The Prince’s Countryside Fund has given this tangible expression.”

Keith Halstead, Executive Director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said: “More than ever, family farms and countryside communities need our practical and grounded support to build themselves a secure and sustainable future.  Becoming The Royal Countryside Fund gives the charity not only the royal seal of approval, but also national recognition. We are thrilled with our new name, and very proud.”

To find out more about The Royal Countryside Fund and give your support, visit:  www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/support-us/