THE important community work done by members of a support group over the past few years was highlighted when, too busy to accept an invitation from Prince Charles, HRH chose to visit them.

The story of UTASS - Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services - begins ten years ago when Peter and Teresa Raine convened a meeting at their home at Park End Farm, Holwick, to address the flagging morale of Teesdale's rural community.

Such was the concern about farmers isolated in the countryside, worrying about the ever-increasing paperwork and rapid changes in agriculture, that the meeting was attended by members of the NFU, vet Neville Turner, a bank manager, citizens' advice bureau staff, the local school, health authority, Durham University and farmers themselves.

A similar meeting a year later attracted the then agriculture minister, William Waldegrave, as well as a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, later to become Defra. Following that meeting, a steering group was formed, its remit to monitor how stress was affecting lives in Teesdale and to suggest ways of alleviating the burden felt by those unable to cope. The work went on for six years, but mainly went unsung because the problems the group was addressing were so sensitive.

"Farmers were worried about the stigma of asking for help," explains project manager Diane Spark. "It was a case of 'he's in trouble, he can't cope', so we had to tread carefully."

However, like Topsy, the group's workload grew and grew until, in the autumn of 1999, members were in a position to lease a former holiday cottage at Middleton in Teesdale and equip it as their premises. No 1 Horsemarket became the base for the newly named UTASS, which was and still is the only organisation of its kind in the country. As well as providing assistance and emotional support, it began to provide training for residents, including women and children, of the dale, primarily those involved in agriculture.

"Although cash was tight, the door was open to anyone who needed its services," said Mr Turner, who is now UTASS secretary. "Support was given with form filling, liaising with MAFF, and explaining in plain English the jargon-filled documents from Brussels and Whitehall. But things were soon to take a terrible turn for the worse when foot-and-mouth was diagnosed in the dale in 2001."

He told of the toll on farmers and UTASS, with resources stretched to unbelievable limits.

"But it also showed the need for such a service," he said. "Between April and December that year we dealt with 35,117 individual requests for help."

From its opening the previous May until January 2001, the office had been open 28 hours a week. When foot-and-mouth hit the upper dale in April, it was open 24 hours a day.

"Diane and her partner, Gordon, literally moved into the office, using a camp bed and sleeping bag, just to take calls in the middle of the night," said Mr Turner. "Between May and December it was open for an average of 70 hours a week. I can't praise the staff highly enough. Their dedication was and is tremendous."

He also paid tribute to Coun Alan Scott and Coun Richard Betton, who are also part of the team.

"Alan was at Kenton Bar every day filtering down information as quickly as it came in, while Richard seemed to know all the right people to contact, too."

The pre-foot-and-mouth budget went out of the window, with telephone bills soaring 1,000-fold, specialist staffing costs rising 500pc and heating, lighting and stationery costs going over budget.

But staff and volunteers soldiered on, bolstered by such comments as "Thank God you're here," "Thank you for keeping me sane" and "I expected to get an answer machine at 6.45 in the morning and admire you for what you are doing".

Somehow, the terrible time was got through and UTASS, which had previously been under the wing of the Durham Rural Community Council, in 2002 applied for and received charitable status. Its patrons include Lord Barnard, former Bishop of Durham Dr Michael Turnbull, the Earl of Strathmore and the Rev Rachel Benson, a personal friend of Prince Charles.

Such was the name it was gaining in farming circles, that its fame began to spread, with Prince Charles getting to hear about its work and issuing an invitation for staff to speak with him at Highgrove.

Although eager to attend, members regretfully had to explain that they did not have the time to leave the office, thinking that was the end of the matter. But the Prince, who has since made two unsolicited donations to UTASS, decided he would visit them instead. This he did last October, receiving a rapturous reception from the whole community.

"He sat in the office with 22 farmers and he had such an in-depth knowledge," said Ms Spark. "He was an absolute delight to see. If you could have allowed a camera in he would have not have needed any public relations exercises. He was superb." Mr Turner agreed: "He understood exactly what they were talking about."

The Prince has since referred to UTASS in a national farming magazine, calling it a "wonderful organisation" and he is anxious to see its services replicated countrywide, sowing strong seeds with the funders.

Although things are starting to return to normal in the countryside, there is no rest for UTASS. Police sergeant Bob Danby became involved with the organisation during his liaison role in the foot-and-mouth crisis and has since become its treasurer. He is heavily involved with the Three Lions youth project in the village, which has involved UTASS in providing meeting facilities for the group in the adjoining cottage.

"We could not find funding to buy it outright, but a private buyer has come forward and we are leasing it from them," said Sgt Danby.

Ms Spark said the cottage would be multi-functional, not just used by the youth project.

"We need to expand with outreach organisations that would like to come into the village and work out of our premises," she said. "These could include the citizens' advice bureau, homework clubs for somewhere quiet to work, and course providers. We have a waiting list of young people wanting to do courses."

Sgt Danby said: "I agree with Prince Charles in that UTASS is a wonderful organisation and I am proud to be able to help them. They are so selfless and it's a pleasure to be able to support them."

Mr Turner said: "A big part of what we do is keeping farmers on the ball, but there is much more to it than that. We support and receive support from the whole community."

But the final word goes to Ms Spark, who in her last annual report said that no-one could have imagined ten years ago, when the Raines planted the seed of an idea of an agricultural support service and initiated the formation of a steering group, that UTASS would evolve into what it is today.

* The project is supported by Single Regeneration Budget 5, Northern Rock Foundation, Barclays, Rural Minds, Lloyds TSB Foundation, Hadrian Trust, Trusthouse Charitable Foundation, Sir James Knott Trust, John Bell Charitable Trust, Continuation Charitable Trust and County Durham Foundation. The UTASS office is open from 9am-5pm weekdays, excluding Wednesdays, but these hours are quite flexible. Courses are held outside these times. Anyone wishing to contact the organisation by telephone can call 01833 641010.