JANUARY 2015 NEWSLETTER A Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to our January 2015 newsletter!

Funding Accessibility Pathway

We are pleased to report that our new accessibility pathway funded by the People’s Postcode Trust is now completed! The idea for this was borne out of the fact that previously the only

pathway we had was to the Animal Therapy building via the Changing Places facility and to access other areas of the farm rough and wet terrain had to be negotiated, thus making some areas

impossible or difficult for some people to reach. To make more areas of the farm inclusive to everyone, especially those with mobility difficulties, we applied to the People’s Postcode Trust for

funding to enable this to be achieved. We were over the moon when we were successful and the pathway was started by Denys and the clients. We are pleased to report that after lots of mixing, barrowing and laying of concrete by everyone, this pathway is now completed and takes

in the Raised Beds, chickens, ponies and Activity Trail. Massive thanks for the Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and the People’s Postcode Trust for making this happen!

Garden Office

Once again we are delighted to announce the continuing support of the Neil Hudgell Solicitors Trust and Hornsea Lions with funding allocated for a new Garden Office. Four years ago we

were lucky enough to secure funding for our purpose-built Amenity Building from Natural England and at that time it was more than sufficient for our purposes. However, we have now seen a

more than four-fold increase in our client day care provision, not including the different groups we work with and visits we host. The Amenity Building houses us all, provides space for the Community Learning Fund workshops we run through Humber Learning Consortium, as well as

having to accommodate office and therapeutic space. A decision was made that we needed to do something to free up more space and a bid was put in to the Neil Hudgell Solicitors Trust and

Hornsea Lions for funding. We were advised before Christmas that we had been successful in our bid and our new Garden Office has been ordered! This will provide administrative and therapeutic space for confidential office and telephone work, as well as client reviews and a one-

to-one support area. The Garden Office should be arriving any day now; it will arrive flat-packed and Denys and the clients will be tasked with its construction! This in itself will provide an

interesting and educational activity for everyone and prove a lasting legacy and something to be proud of. Below is what it will look like when it’s finished but watch this space for updates!

Hornsea District Lions Club

You can read more about the Neil Hudgell Solicitors Trust here http://www.neil-hudgell.co.uk/the-neil-hudgell-solicitors-trust. For further enquiries regarding Trust funding, please contact Leigh North on telephone: 01482 481 884.

Workshops

Last term we ran 3 workshops; Animal Accommodation (where we started construction of the new pony shelter), Culinary Celebrations (finding out about different seasonal celebrations and cookery such as Guy Fawkes, Halloween, Armistice Day and Thanksgiving) and Christmas Decorations

(Wreath-making and various Christmas cards, tree cookies and reindeer lollies). These were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Thanks again go to Abi of Bohemia Floral Design in Hornsea

who provided the expert tuition for the wreath-making and Humber Learning Consortium, European Social Fund and Skills Funding Agency for the funding to make them possible.

Tweendykes Enterprise Group

As you may remember from our last newsletter in September, we have been working with a group of students from Tweendykes School in Hull on an ‘enterprise’ project for the Autumn term. It was decided to construct an interactive wall near the Changing Places facility. This was

completed before Christmas and has certainly brightened up this area of the farm and will be very well used, especially with our school visitors in the summer months! Thank you to the

Tweendykes’ group and to Jan, our Sessional Worker who oversaw the project.

Archbishop Sentamu

As well as Tweendykes School, we are also worked last term with a group of 9 students from

Archbishop Sentamu School in Hull. We provided hands-on, practical and educational support alongside their work in school for a BTEC Level 2 in Horticulture and Animal Care. In the ten weeks they were with us they experienced bird watching at Cowden and a talk by a representative

from the RSPB, apple picking and apple juice making, pony work (farrier and equine dentist), orchard pruning, ploughing and concreting, oh and the odd football game!

Denys said ‘they were a very pleasant and polite group who took to the farm like a duck to water’. We hope to work with them again in the future!

Day Care Provision Densholme Care Farm continues to thrive and increase in numbers and since our last Newsletter in September two existing clients have boosted their attendance from one to two days per week

and we have welcomed one new client and two young people on alternative curricula. It’s lovely to see new people enjoying our beautiful surroundings at the farm and joining in with the existing

33 clients attending. Just a few spaces remain on a Tuesday and a Thursday for anyone interested in joining us! This expansion of day care provision has resulted in us being able to

increase the hours of Sessional Workers to ensure high supervision levels are maintained. Also we are continuing to show visitors around the farm who are interested in setting up similar

schemes around the country. This is a valuable experience for all involved.

Densholme Farm Choir The Densholme Farm Choir were delighted to be invited to perform at Patrington Methodist

Church’s Candlelit Concert on Wednesday, 10th December. Altogether there were about 20 of us from the Farm who entertained the congregation with our own selection of songs, both traditional and unique! Thank you to Patrington Methodist Church who made

us feel so welcome; we all thoroughly enjoyed our evening out. Thanks also to our volunteer Choir Director, Denise, for all your time and hard work, to Hornsea Lions

for the use of their minibus and Mike, our Volunteer driver!

More than 20 of us accepted an invitation to 'share the farm' with Portobello Methodist Church on Sunday, 25th January, featuring performances by the choir and speeches by some of our students. Hats off to those who spoke so well and for the wonderful solo, and of course to Denise who lead

the choir. We were overwhelmed by the compliments we all received afterwards, many noted the smiles and joy that were in abundance. Thank you Portobello for your excellent hospitality.

We are looking forward to future opportunities, not least the 'Make it Shine' summer fayre here at the farm on July 19.

Code of Practice

We were advised back in December that we have been awarded the Care Farming UK Code of Practice, this shows that we are meeting the professional standards expected for care farming!

The Care Farming UK website has this to say about the Code of Practice :-

‘Care Farming UK is proud to offer this Code, developed and trialled by a range of care farming

practitioners and specialists. The quality of provision delivered by care farmers will be assured through a process of self-assessment, enabling them to demonstrate that they follow the Care

Farming Code of Practice. Self-assessments are appraised by a Panel of experts, affirming the Care Farm's commitment to following the Code. The Code of Practice is a clear set of guidelines, intended to meet the requirements of commissioners, clients and other authorities to ascertain

that Care Farms which adhere to the Code are safe, professional and efficacious‘. More information can be found at www.carefarminguk.org.

Visit from the RSPB We were delighted that Chris Tompson from the RSPB took up our invitation to lead us on a bird watch at the farm on the 21st November. Several students from Archbishop Sentamu Academy

joined our students on the adventure. The latest official bird survey took place very early one April morning and 41 different species were spotted on the farm. These included Skylark, Starling,

Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Turtle Dove, Song Thrush and Linnet, all of which are on the red list.

This is what one of our students had to say and some pictures she drew :-

‘I enjoyed seeing all the different birds and would like to go bird-watching again. Whilst there, we saw a fox running across the fields, which was exciting. I have drawn some of the birds I saw and enjoyed learning about them’.

Visits Don’t forget that we offer free educational visits around the farm to groups of six or more! We

are looking forward to a first visit from Kelvin Hall School in Hull, 50 Year 9 students and staff, including 18 from Europe. Their study subject is mental health and exercise, together with the

benefits of growing your own food.

Hornsea Hike About 40 people and 8 dogs set off from Densholme on Sunday, 11th January on what was a bright but breezy day for an 8 mile circular hike around the area, finishing back at the farm for

bacon sandwiches, soup, scones and hot drinks! More than £200 was raised and will benefit local causes. Well done to all those who braved the wind!

One-Third Marathon

We are again hosting the Rotary Club of Hornsea & East Riding’s One Third Marathon National Championship on Sunday, 12th April 2015. The Farm team came in second last year in the

Corporate Challenge and we are training hard to see if we can come up trumps this year!

Even if you aren’t participating, please feel free to come along to support the runners and have a look around the farm. Please see http://www.hornseathirdmarathon.org.uk/ for more information.

Party on at the farm!

Last year we hosted a number of children’s parties at the farm. All were very successful and the

children had a great time. Parties featured bouncy castles, egg hunting, animal encounters and scarecrow building! For more information contact Rachael on rachael@densholmefarm-

action.co.uk.

Building to Hire

Our Amenity Building with full kitchen facilities is available to hire at a cost of £15 per hour, contact Sally below for more details.

Facebook We now have our Facebook page up and running, please search for ‘Densholme Care Farm’ and

‘like’ our page, you will then be kept up-to-date with news, events and photos!

Sally Abrahams Admin Officer

Densholme Care Farm Hull Road Great Hatfield

East Yorkshire HU11 4UX Tel: 01964 532640

Email: admin@densholmefarm-action.co.uk Web: www.densholmefarm-action.co.uk