Enabling opportunities for children and adults

Aim

Empowering Futures - Meeting a need for children and adults with disabilities and/or health conditions

         RECOGNISING ACHIEVEMENT - BEING POSITIVE - FINDING A WAY - FILLING GAPS

Our aim is to work with people who lack opportunity, have been missed, ignored or their health and/or disability prevents them from participating in traditional mainstream provision.

We support;

• People with varying disabilities like Learning Difficulties, ADHD, ADD, or long term health conditions 
• People with mental health conditions
• People following brain injury rehab who are relearning
• All age groups 
• Local Primary School Children
• Trainees from local colleges
• Work Experience Placements 
• Home Schooled children
• Children who aren't attending School for multiple reasons
• Conquering isolation, exclusion, communication and increasing self confidence

IT'S BEEN A LONG, GRUELLING JOURNEY SINCE 2017  ....................to where we are now

We started our organisation in a church garden (2017), gardening and  a small amount of woodwork, recycling started to get a hold of us. Products made from pallet wood shown below

and then we took on an allotment, 

         *****From a wasteland to an allotment growing wonderful fresh food*****

 *****From a wasteland to an allotment growing wonderful fresh food*****

then a community site, where we erected a poly tunnel, formed groups for gardening and provided opportunity. This is the year we decided to form a charity and maintain a service and embarked on becoming a registered charity.

then we were offered an opportunity in Page Park (2018) where we delivered gardening sessions and projects including 'fit-n-fed' with another organisation - a project for children in the holidays to ensure they received a meal and varied activity was provided.

then a piece of lTThen came our first opportunity to have animals -  Westerleigh where we could finally incorporate animal care in a green space. We manually built the animal housing and a small hub for attendees.

However, with no security we moved to a permanent site - a two acre field in Hambrook which has allowed us to grow and expand

We have almost completed all of our infrastructure, our animals are happily housed, we will have mains electric and mains water very soon and our very own kitchen is almost installed where we can teach people to cook, using home grown products, full of nutrition and organically grown. For some, it will offer their first opportunity to be in a kitchen and prepare and cook a meal.

What do we need now?

We need to buy bespoke saucepans (for the special non burning hob)and different cooking utensils so attendees can learn to cook. For many, it will be the first time they have been 'allowed' in a kitchen. By keeping cooking simple, we can include people of all abilities and have low level worktops for wheelchair users too. We need funds to get training so we can cook safely, hygienically and legally and a facilitator to delivery classes.

Alongside this, by developing the biodiversity area further. We can provide quiet secluded spaces, peaceful areas, relaxing activity, sensory stimulants, benefits that can be enjoyed by many more people with complex needs and those without. We are currently compiling  information to explain our biodiversity, so we can share with local schools, a book of information compiled by disabled people with lots of .  New plants with specific impacts on the climate and local species will be paramount.

We want to teach people about the 'bees' and 'hives' on the farm and purchase the safety garments needed to get close to the real thing, the outer protective garments are needed in children sizes and multiple adult sizes to include everyone regardless of size. Also by delivering information sessions with a model bee hive in the main hub, those who don't feel comfortable being so close to thousands of 'bees' are included.  Their lives and activities are fascinating. However, we need bespoke 'beekeeping' protective suits to help this happen. It's your bee hive - AVIVA - with your bees.

We have been offered the opportunity to work with a local CIC to progress people to achieve a City and Guilds in Horticulture which is so exciting and a dream come true for many. Our volunteers will scribe and read where needed to fill the gaps and people will be enabled, regardless of their basic skills. However registering, tutor costs, certificates all cost money and we are seeking help towards this.

Lastly we use our goats to provide hidden exercise but not everyone can walk. We would like to have some external bespoke exercise equipment for upper body and lower body exercise. That way people with mobility issues can improve their upper body and trunk strength and those with balance issues can use sit down cycling to improve their lower body strength. It may sound strange but there are so many people who cannot access gyms and cannot participate in exercise because of the lack of amenity and support available. Obesity would be a by-product tackled and exercise could be fun and enjoyed with others in a green setting. People from Social Care could participate together, learn together and share communication in a unique way. They have told us how they do not feel welcome, don't fit in, can't go alone to gyms and the Covid pandemic significantly highlighted the inequality for people of disability. With the gym equipment situated undercover, the use could be all year round providing equipment for disabled people and those with long term health issues.

 ***********   IT'S A WIN, WIN - Result for many, otherwise excluded people ************

         RECOGNISING ACHIEVEMENT - BEING POSITIVE - FINDING A WAY - FILLING GAPS

Feedback from attendees ............

A 23 year old with debilitating ME stated she felt lifted and following her visit felt she had found something to make her life feel more worthwhile

A 55 year old suffering a brain injury commented - he felt relaxed and that he belonged

A 11 year old child with autism had her imagination captured when she created a willow basket

A mother cried as her child with Down Syndrome engaged with the animals and said, she couldn't believe how happy he was and how at ease he was around the animals

A group from a social care organisation were observed laughing and enjoying the experience when walking the goats and large continental rabbits

A man with learning disabilities said, 'i feel so comfortable and welcome here , I don't want to leave'.

Most of these people have comprised immune systems and places like the care farm are the only place they visited during lockdown because of their health conditions. 

  Success in CPR achieved and recognised at just 12 years old

This project successfully funded on 20th September 2022