County care farms leading way across UK (From Worcester News)

County care farms leading way across UK

3:00pm Friday 2nd April 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

CARE farms set up in Worcestershire could become a model for the rest of the country.

That was the message given to Lord Victor Adebowale, the chief executive of Turning Point, when he visited the Good Soil project at Holt Heath, near Worcester.

Lord Adebowale was shown around the project which will offer farm work, such as growing vegetables and looking after animals, initially as a form of therapy but later with a view to helping people into work.

The farm can be used by persistent offenders and those with drug addictions as well as offering training for youngsters struggling to find jobs.

Lord Adebowale said: “Turning Point runs a significant substance misuse service in Malvern and we have a very strong partnership with care farms. A lot of our clients use these services.

“We would like to do more of this. It has such positive outcomes particularly in rural areas where the funding issues are going to be a problem in the next few years. I think this is a very powerful model.”

Lord Adebowale was one of the first non-party-political life peers – sometimes called people’s peers – in 2001.

He was invited to see the Good Soil project by Harriett Baldwin, conservative parliamentary candidate for West Worcestershire.

The project evolved from a land-based scheme set up by celebrity gardener Monty Don in Herefordshire.

It has now become part of the Good Soil Company Ltd, a social enterprise set up by Top Barn farmer David Harper, and is currently being revamped.

The project has the backing of Care Farm West Midlands.