"He was a young offender who had left school with no qualifications or skills. He was now working in a supportive environment on a chicken farm just outside the city. He was gradually feeling accepted and useful for the first time in his life, even though he could not read or write. Then the farmer was ill for a few days. The young lad said he would collect the eggs on his own. The farmer was pleased that he was keen to do it, but reminded him that he could not count or write, so could not record the eggs that had been produced. His reply was ‘teach me!’ A few days later he was counting the eggs, recording the day's total and drawing the production graphs. He was working on a ‘care farm’ set up to particularly help young people like him find their own value, and a purpose and fulfilment in life."

In Wokingham

a group of people from local charities, both Christian and secular, and officers from the Wokingham Borough Council are working together to bring into existence such a farm in the area. For us it will have an ecological slant as well so it is called the Wokingham Green Care Farm project. We have been meeting for about a year now, and there is the possibility on the horizon of a farm available.

The Care Farm approach is:

To bring together the proven concept that a rural setting helps people with mental health issues and stress at many levels, including the disaffected, isolated and excluded.

We will be building on the Care Farm experience that has been running successfully in many European countries and is now an integral part of the health provision in those countries.

In this country this area is being co-ordinated and encouraged through the National Care Farm Initiative based at Harper Adams College in Shropshire (www.ncfi.org.uk)

Locally we will phase what we are doing. We expect to start using the care farm approach to further the work of a local Christian charity already reaching and helping disaffected, isolated and excluded young people. This further help will include rehabilitating, inspiring, educating and training on the farm. As possible we will expand bit by bit to provide for a wider age range of people with mental health needs, and perhaps eventually for all who want to enjoy being in the countryside and a rural setting.

Our Website

More information can be found on our website at

www.wokinghamgreencarefarm.org.uk

Contact us

Our email address is

admin@wokinghamgreencarefarm.org.uk

Please pray for us and watch this space!