Target reached!
If we reach £20,000 we can have more solar panels installed, further reducing our ov...
Solar Panelling to Help Run the Farm.
Ferndown, England, United Kingdom
Aim
We are very Eco aware and want to install solar panels. Saving money will allow us to pay our Animal Manager a further two days.
Who are We
We are a therapeutic farm in Ferndown, Dorset. With the experienced guidance and support from our staff and the generosity of our volunteers we offer a day service to members of the public living with mental health issues and physical disabilities. Our Founder and Director, Mark Gregory, identified a need for the therapy services we now offer back in 2012 and as a result High Mead Therapeutic Farm was born. Mark’s background is working closely with animals and over time realised the therapeutic value of animal therapy. Mark has friends with children with various learning disabilities. Most come from institutional/special learning schools/colleges and once their education is finished there is no bridge/stepping-stone into the wider world. (((bang)) lightbulb moment!! Word got out that Mark was opening a therapy farm and people came. It was a very organic natural process that followed. The first project was making the building & land fit for purpose, then came the first animals, goats, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits and rats, most of which were re-homed to the farm or rescued. Mark has a Zoology degree and experienced in various rolls working in animal husbandry.
What has been happening
In the last 6 years an all-out explosion has taken place. Next came Matt bringing 12yrs experience of woodland craft with special needs. Matt is the Farm Manager. Closely followed by Duncan our Horticulture Manager bringing 10yrs experience of working with children and adults with special needs. Charlotte joined the pack in Jan-2016 from Bournemouth Council – Adult Social Care – supporting people with disabilities into work. Charlotte is now the Office Manager (but wears many hats!!) and manages processes and procedures ensuring our clients get the very best out of the farm activities. Next came Deborah who joined Jan-17 whose background is more office based, IT, desktop publishing, creative writing. Deborah is now our Happy Farm Fundraiser and spends her days seeking fund-givers and completing funding applications. Lastly came Roger, who is an ex-publican with chef training. Roger has worked with customers with special needs and special dietary requirements. Roger is now our builder/groundsman - an indispensable all-rounder. During 2019 we employed 3 of our volunteers for 1 day, Russell who manages the animals alongside Lucy and Sara who runs a craft workshop. These are the paid staff, on top of this we have approximately 20-30 volunteers daily that have been coming week after week with a steady increment over the last 5yrs.
Therapeutic Activities
We have seen some of our clients/volunteers return to PT/FT work and education over the years. Many become confident active members of their respective households and communities. Many of our clients remain at the farm in a volunteering capacity which gives them much more personal responsibility around the farm, of which some have become paid employees. We are very proud of our people and they never cease to amaze us! Our rewards are endless.
Some of the conditions our clients live with
Bi-polar disorder, depression, stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, loss of confidence, lack of direction, chronic fatigue, fear, anger & aggression, addiction, Alzheimer and dementia diagnosis, brain injury, vision and hearing impairment, autism, children excluded from school, Parkinson’s and learning difficulties
Frequent community support is key in any type of recovery process. Currently we are receiving referrals from NHS, Social Services (children and adults), other Local Service Providers i.e. Ansbury/FaceFoward, The Sheiling, Regard, Community Employment Services, Residential Homes, Special Educational Schools, Transitions, Jewel Academy, Cambian, Wessex Autism, private referral, word of mouth and recommendation. We currently have between 70-80 paying service users throughout the week (Mon-Fri). We also run a Saturday Club for under 16yrs which runs alongside the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme.
We work alongside local businesses, churches, social services, local authorities, schools, universities, organisations and other charities and we are open to the public for walk rounds and meeting the farm animals.
Why We Need Your Help
We are very Eco aware and want to convert as much of the farm as possible to Eco friendly energy. This will involve the installation of a bank of solar panels and batteries to help run the farm. On average we will save £1,200 per quarter. Over 12mths we safe a staggering £4,800. This savings will go towards our Husbandry Manager's wages. This in turn means we can have more volunteers & clients under her care & direction on those extra days. Everyone wants to work with the animals but we are restricted to certain days as we need the Husbandry Manager's guidance.
I want to introduce you to our fabulous Lucy who is an invaluable animal husbandry volunteer and for whom the savings will go towards;
“High Mead Farm is a very special place, a fully inclusive and life enhancing place. On a personal level, volunteering at High Mead has had a significant impact upon my mental health and well-being. It has given me confidence and self-esteem and is a place where I feel safe and part of something positive. I enjoy the warm and enabling environment and the relationships with and between the diverse community of people and animals.
I believe passionately in the life changing potential of positive animal and human interactions. The animals at High Mead play such an important role in supporting the co-farmers’ well-being and recovery and they deserve the very highest level of care. On completion of my BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Animal Management at Sparsholt College, it would be a privilege to take a lead in managing animal husbandry, care and welfare on the farm. The farm has given me so much, including a real sense of belonging and purpose, and I would relish the opportunity to give something back to both the animals and the people within the farm community.
High Mead Farm has huge potential to grow further and make even more of a difference to its co-farmers and the wider community. Whilst supporting the team to further develop animal assisted interventions and therapeutic support to facilitate the co-farmers’ wellbeing, as a dedicated animal husbandry manager, I would take great pride in maintaining the very highest standards of animal welfare to ensure that our animals continue to thrive.”
This project successfully funded on 16th December 2019