AN Orkney farmer has left nearly half a million pounds to a leading Scottish agricultural charity in one of the largest single donations in its history.
Charles (Charlie) Gorn, who passed away in November 2023 at the age of 82, bequeathed £470,000 from his estate to the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI), the charity that supports people in Scotland’s farming and crofting sectors.
Gorn, who farmed at Weddell near Holm, left around half of his estate to the RSABI, with the remainder going to various cancer support charities.
Known locally for his quiet generosity and lifelong dedication to farming, Gorn’s gift is one of the largest donations in the RSABI’s history.
Carol McLaren, chief executive of the charity, said: “It was humbling to hear how Charlie came to support RSABI in such an extraordinary way.”
“His kindness will allow us to help many in the farming community during difficult times.”
“We are extremely grateful to Charlie for recognising the value of the work we do and choosing to kindly gift a significant part of his lifetime savings to support the charity.”
Born and raised in Holm, Gorn left Orkney as a young man to work as a stockman on Sir Torquil Munro’s Perthshire estate.
There, he developed a lasting passion for Aberdeen-Angus cattle, working with the famed Lindertis herd and earning great respect in the agricultural community.
Encouraged early on to plan for the future, he began saving and investing, a decision that would ultimately allow him to build a successful farming life.
After a period working in Aberdeenshire in the plant and machinery sector, Gorn returned to [[Orkney]] in the 1970s.
He began farming at Weddell and eventually purchased the land, expanding his enterprise over the years.
He remained devoted to Aberdeen-Angus cattle and even travelled to Australia to visit breeders and share knowledge.
A regular on the show circuit, Gorn won numerous trophies, many of which he later donated to the local agricultural society.
