A charity providing much-needed cash aid to beleaguered farmers has been given a helping hand by the Masonic community.
The Freemasons' Grand Charity has presented £100,000 to the Oxford-based Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, which has already handed out £5.5m to farmers since the onset of the foot and mouth crisis three months ago.
Our picture shows Institution chairman John Wallis, left, receiving the cheque from Freemasons' Grand Charity president Raymond Lye at its headquarters in West Way, Botley.
Institution spokesman Nicholas Bond admitted: "We've been under a bit of pressure recently.
"We have received a lot of support from the industry and the general public, and now the Masons' have presented us with this generous amount.
"The money will help farmers who are facing a financial crisis because of foot and mouth disease in places where they cannot move livestock and have run out of cash.
"It will take those who have lost their stock 12 months at least before they get any other income at all."
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