A rural company which helps "care farms" get off the ground and offers therapeutic countryside activities to residents with mental health issues has been awarded a huge sum of money.
Care Farming Development CIC (Community Interest Company) has been awarded £286,057 by the Big Lottery Fund.
The company has previously enabled farms near Rugeley, Stone and Lichfield in Staffordshire to launch care farming schemes through Growing Rural Enterprise.
Through Care Farming Development CIC they continue to offer consultation services for businesses setting up care farms, providing support in areas including sourcing funding streams. They also run Wellies, an award-winning programme of therapeutic learning activities using animals, plants and the countryside, three days a week in the East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth areas.
The funding will also support the delivery of two free 15-week programmes for people with agoraphobia, anxiety and depression, or who are socially isolated, to develop confidence and self-esteem.
Service users can choose from activities including animal care and dog training, cooking, countryside walks, crafts, horticulture, keeping chickens, fencing, fishing and floristry.
Adding millions to rural economy
Care farming can become a key feature of the UK’s care provision and add millions to the rural economy, according to farming minister George Eustice.
240 UK farms are already adding nearly £30m to the rural economy and providing 300,000 health and social care placements every year.
With support and recognition from policy makers, health commissioners and the farming sector, it is estimated that care farming could increase its value to nearly £90m and provide half a million sessions per year in health, social and educational care over the next five years.
According to national charity Care Farming UK, care farms provide placements for a huge range of vulnerable groups including people with mental health problems, adults and children with learning disabilities, people with dementia, children with autism, those with a drug or alcohol addiction history, disaffected young people and military veterans with PTSD.
