Earlier in July we were joined by The Halley Academy, a returning partner school, whose group had lots of love for our dogs and the neighbouring mountains. Despite less sunny conditions, there was a joyful paddle on the banks in the local river. The group expressed joy and wonder at nature, choosing to do more group jobs rather than having downtime, showing great investment in their farm experience.
We are excited to have been joined by Copthall Barnet School, a new partner girls’ school. During this visit, the group’s leadership skills really shone through, as many of the young people who has never touched an animal were soon holding chickens and cuddling our ever-popular dog friends. We love watching this transformation take place, as young people push themselves out of their comfort zone and achieve new things.
We enjoyed a visit with Look UK, a small, national charity providing help, support and information for visually impaired young people, their carers and families. We hosted 8 young people and 4 adult mentors, all with visual impairments. They fully embraced the farm experience, from interacting with animals to playing games, cooking and enjoying meals together. We’re grateful to have been joined by a range of fantastic volunteers during this week, who held music sessions, supported with guiding, farming and general activities, all while bringing a wonderful energy.
Out on the farm, we will soon be looking for native crossbreeds for the pig woods, and have finished the fence to accommodate them. We will wean the sheep in a couple of weeks time and turn the lambs out into newly mowed fields, which have yielded about 90 bales of haylage. We’re keeping a third for winter and the contractor will be taking the rest. Afterward, the lambs will move to herbal leys, a mix of nutritious herbs which also do a fantastic job of sequestering carbon.
We’re looking forward to planting an orchard with 20 apple trees, in which our chickens will graze underneath. This will be a lovely addition to our beautiful farm, and a space we feel will be enjoyed by visiting young people for years to come.
In our team update, we’d like to say a huge congratulations to Rob on the arrival of baby Mora! We hope that he is able to make the most of his paternity leave, and look forward to his return, as well as lots of baby photos. We have interviewed for a new Farm Manager and Therapy Coordinator, and are really excited to both welcome them to our team and introduce them to you very soon!
We are saying a fond farewell to Ella, our Therapy Coordinator, who has been a pillar of our team since spring 2021. Her wisdom, humour and 1:1 sessions with the lovely golden retriever, Romie, have greatly benefited many young people to have been through our gates. We wish her the best on her travels and look forward to catching up on the other side.
A testament to Ella, as well as the rest of our team, is the following quote from the Warwickshire UASC team:
“I want to express how amazing the farm is, the activities, and the staff. This is a beautiful, meaningful, and life-changing experience for all involved. I want future funders to come along and experience even half a day here to understand how their money and influence will help massively in continuing this wonderful holistic approach for our young people, our future. You will leave a lasting impression on me for sure and the young people.”
We look forward to sharing more updates next month.
