FARMING charity Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) has released money from its Crisis Fund to provide emergency grants of £3,000 to farmers affected by Wrexham-based Tomlinsons Dairies going into administration.

RABI is making emergency grants available to dairy farmers directly affected by the demise of milk processor Tomlinson’s; fast-tracking applications for financial assistance using a simplified application and criteria process.

RABI chairman Malcolm Thomas said: “RABI exists to support members of the farming community, which is why we are putting these measures in place at this difficult time.

“It’s a proactive move on our part to make immediate, short-term support readily available.

“The news that Tomlinsons has gone into administration came out of the blue for many farmers, leaving some without payments for milk supplies and having to find alternative milk processors to supply to.”

Tomlinson’s Dairies is based in Wrexham and also has operations in Cheshire and Shropshire. Mike Denny and Peter Dickens of PwC were appointed joint administrators to the business by the High Court on October 14.

It has been reported that 2 Sisters Food Group, Britain’s biggest chicken processor, has plans to fast-track former workers at Tomlinsons Dairies to interviews for more than 100 vacancies at its Deeside plant.

Some staff are also believed to be considering legal action over concerns they were not properly consulted during the redundancy process.