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 With vital public services for vulnerable people shut down or
reduced to video calls because of social distancing measures, care
farms have been able to stay open as activities take place in wide
open spaces.
At Future Roots in the southern county of Dorset, 14-year-old Liam
Holt has found that spending time outdoors working with animals and
other people has had a transformational effect on his state of mind.
"It's made a huge impact for me," he said.
"I had a lot of stress issues, high stress levels, quickfire snaps,
anger, just a lot of anger and that, and lockdown did not help me
... I had no control over it. The person that was helping me, I
couldn't see her face-to-face."
On a sunny, blustery November day when Reuters reporters visited the
farm, children in muddy boots were busy cleaning a cow shed, feeding
chickens, guinea pigs and rabbits, stroking cows and donkeys, even
driving tractors.
Future Roots has been functioning as a care farm since 2006.
Children and young people can be referred there by their schools for
animal-assisted therapy and training in agriculture and cookery
skills.
"I'd even be dead or in prison if it wasn't for this place, because
in no way I would have been able to cope in society if I hadn't come
here," said Abi Edmed, 25, who used to come as a child and is now a
trainee nurse. She still comes to help out, as a friend.
Edmed said she endured a lot of trauma as a child, resulting in her
becoming aggressive. She said the care farm had helped her to
process her trauma.
"It was actually just being able to wander off, go chat to a cow,
(I’m) very known for doing that," she said, smiling. "The cow can't
tell my secrets."
'THEY CAN'T TAKE IT'
Julie Plumley, a Dorset farmer's daughter and professional social
worker who founded the care farm, said Future Roots has helped young
people for whom social distancing was devastating.
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"The young people here can't take it. They couldn't take Zoom therapy sessions
because they need a relationship with people, and that's really hard on a
computer," she said.
For Emily Trice, 15, the farm has been a safe haven from struggles at home and
at school. "The best bit is seeing how everybody is enjoying it and having fun
with all the animals," she said.
At another care farm, Pathways in the eastern county of Suffolk, founder Geoff
Stevens was on a mission against loneliness.
"Isolation is gripping people. They're stuck away in their house," he said. "You
bring them out here and they start mixing with 5, 10, 12 people, they've got
relationships going, they've got conversations going, they're using their grey
matter."
Sally Payne, 31, was filling troughs with feed for llamas, grooming donkeys and
clearing out animal pens, alongside her mother Susan. Both smiled and laughed as
they worked.
"I have autism and anxiety and depression, so I like coming here because it
gives me structure, which is good for the autism, and fresh air and exercise
that is good for the mental health," said Payne.
Susan Payne said the care farm was a bulwark against loneliness for her too.
"It has given me a sort of back-up team, you know. You can feel very alone when
you're dealing with a child with difficulties."
(Writing by Estelle Shirbon; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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