Therapeutic Farm Service
ABOUT US
Able Hands Together (CIC) is a community interest company, which provides an extraordinay life-changing experience for adults who have learning disabilities. We like to refer to those who use our service as Co-Farmers. We will teach transferable skills to aid development and independence whilst stimulating their minds and aiding emotional and social skills.
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We run from a small holding at River Bourne Community Farm, just outside of Salisbury. We first opened in spring of 2016 with a variety of animals on our small holding, including pigs, cows, goats, sheep and rabbits
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Our mission is to teach our Co-Farmers how to nurture livestock and to grow their own produce so that they can cook from their success.
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Laura Tween, LLB - Founder
THERAPEUTIC FARMING
Therapeutic farming practices providing health, social or educational care services for one or a range of groups of people through supervised and structured programmes of farming and related activity. In other words a therapeutic farm essentially combines care of the land (including the environment and the animals) with the care of people.
Work on a therapeutic farm can help put someone’s life back on track by providing meaningful activity and a practical daily structure. The activities undertaken are real and based on the daily, weekly and seasonal jobs around the farm. The benefits, of being outdoors in the fresh air and working with animals, improved mental and physical health; are now becoming more widely recognised by health and education professionals.
SERVICES
Promoting Independance
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With 20 years experience with adults with learning difficulties and enabling their independence. Able Hands will ensure that Co-Farmers are learning new skills that will be transferable to their home life.
Speech & Language Support
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Makaton is used at the farm where needed and communiction boards with PECS or photographs are also available. Able Hands aims to be a centre of excellence for communication.
Positive Risk Taking
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Able Hands aims to enable Co-Farmers to become as independent as possible and give the opportunity to take positive risks in a safe, supervised environment. This has a direct link to confidence and self esteem thus improving mental wellbeing.
PRICES AND OPENING TIMES
We are open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 3pm at a cost of £60 per day (terms and conditions apply).
There are four methods in which a Co-Farmers can pay to use our service:
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Our services are commissioned from Wiltshire Council and if a social care assessment is carried out and a need is proven, the local authority will commission a place.
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Co-Farmers pay from their direct payments or Personal Independence Payments.
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Co-Farmers could pay from their savings.
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Payments could be made from a third party.
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Each Co-Farmer is offered a taster morning to see if the placement is suitable.
Please contact Laura on either: 07713 439 346 referrals@ablehandstogether.org.uk
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REFERRAL PROCESS
The service provided caters to the level of need demonstrated by the Co Farmer, this will be determined when Laura carries out an assessment of needs and can advise a day that would be suitable. To give a quick snapshot as to what each day entails: on a Monday and Wednesday the service is aimed more towards the Co-Framers with lower needs, this tends to attract people with Autism Spectrum Condition. On a Tuesday, Thursday and Friday our Co-Farmers have higher needs and the activities on these days are geared more towards those with learning disabilities.
Call Laura on 07713 439 346 to book in for a taster morning, referral forms can be either downloaded, emailed or collected from the farm. Email: referrals@ablehandstogether.org.uk
WHAT TO BRING
All Co-Farmers must bring a packed lunch and a drink, however we do have tea and coffee available!
For the most part, our service's activities are run outdoors, feeding the animals, cleaning pen's and carrying out manual jobs around the small holding. Being dressed appropriately makes the difference between a good day and a bad day!
Essential items are:
Wellies or boots just for working on the farm. Old clothes or overalls.
Winter:
Waterproof warm coat
Waterproof trousers
Warm jumpers
Hat and gloves
Summer:
Suitable clothes for outside work, gardening and painting.
Sun hat and sun cream.
GALLERY
Browse through our gallery of the co-farmers at work. We update this every now and then, so be sure to come back!
NEWS & EVENTS
New Tractor!
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Able Hands Together has purchased a David Brown 1969 vintage tractor. Our aim is to restore it as a group and show it in the summer at tractor shows. This will have a direct impact on our Co-Farmers self esteem and confidence in their own ability. We believe we are the only care farm to offer such a project.
We are keen to attract sponsors to help fund this project.
Recent grant to build a chicken shed from Salisbury City Council for £500!
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MEET THE TEAM
Laura Tween LLB - Director
Laura is the founder of Able Hands Together and brings with her a vast array of knowledge and experience of working with adults with varying degrees of needs and abilities. She is passionate about ensuring that adults with learning disabilities are given the opportunity and encouragement to develop their own skills and connections to promote their independence and social skills.
Laura has built Able Hands Together from the ground up and strives to help it and her Co-Farmers develop to achieve their full potential.
Jason Rhodes - Director
Jason is the Managing Director of Commercial Business at Nottingham Trent University. Jason brings a wealth of business knowledge and advice to Able Hands Together.
Jake Tween - Director
Jake interprets Government Policies on Education to ensure that the advice given by Able Hands Together is of a high standard. He also serves as a great consultant when it comes to the boring paperworky stuff
Carl Anderson - Farm Hand
Carl is an ex member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces. He brings a wealth of skills based services to the farm. If something needs to be built, Carl's the man to do it! Our co-farmers love helping him to construct and build everything from goat gates to raised vegetable beds.
All staff that support our Co Farmers have DBS checks, are employed with their employment history and references checked. They are trained in safeguarding, Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity. Staff receive on going supervision and have access to further training.
VIDEOS
A quick snapshot of a typical day at the farm. In this video you will see our co-farmers collecting chicken eggs, topping up the animal feed, grading eggs, delivering eggs to the farm shop so they can be sold to the public, taking part in some arts and crafts and then mucking out the animal pens toward the end of the day.
This is our promotional showreel. It will give you a brief insight into who we are. Along with our aims and ethos.
CONTACT US
Able Hands Together
River Bourne Community Farm
Cow Lane
Laverstock
Salisbury
SP1 2SR
Registered address: 3 Clatford Manor, Upper Clatford, Andover SP11 7PZ