Aviva funding

The big news for this update is that we won our bid for the Aviva Funding. This is wonderful news as we now have the money to invest in bringing a number of people with dementia onto the farm. Case studies show that the services we are offering are beneficial in so many ways, by having structured, therapeutic activities we aim to improve the wellbeing of many, many people. Thank you so much to everyone that voted for us – and got others to do likewise. We feel highly honoured to now be in a position to offer some real help.

Polytunnel

The polytunnel construction has been a mammoth task and we could not have achieved it with the help of so many people (especially the master-builders – you know who you are). Firstly we had to dig 20 holes, 20 inches square and 20 inches deep… in almost solid clay! The day after the initial holes were dug it poured with rain and a number of them were filled again. A second shift of digging was then carried out during an amazing day when 18 hard-working volunteers from the local DWP office who worked tirelessly to erect fences, cut through trees and bracken and… dig holes. The footplates were then put together and positioned in exactly the right places and at the right depth before the holes were backfilled. The metal frame was then put together and slotted into place. Next was the staging, bracing and door frames… this all sounds fairly simple when its written in one paragraph but the process has taken weeks to get this far.

If any of you have driven along the new link road and glanced across our field you would have seen the sight of our very large meccano construction. All we have to do now is finish the doors and side ventilation… then the simple task of fixing the poly cover… lets hope for a very (very) still day. Shouldn’t be a problem in East Anglia!

The Bridge

We now have a bridge going across the brook at the bottom of the field. This means that we can now cut the grass in the top field and bring in more hay. We had 156 bales a couple of weeks ago, this field could produce over 300. I’ll let everyone know when it has been baled and hopefully we can get a number of us together to bring it all into storage.

I am so grateful to everyone that has given their precious time in volunteering in so many different ways. The comments I receive each week about how much we have achieved is honestly humbling. Thank you. I am also aware that we are having fairly regular work days especially now that the weather is on our side. During these summer months there are many things to do and events to attend so, although I am keen to maintain our momentum, I also want to say that you should only come along if the timing works for you. We love being together but we also understand when other commitments are pressing. Therefore, please come along to the next work party if you can but also have a great time elsewhere if you can’t make it.

The next together day is Saturday 11 July – the sun will be out – the wind will be non-existent – the BBQ will be sizzling… hope to see you there.

Geoff

Pathways Care Farm is officially one of the projects that will benefit from the Aviva Community Fund 2015!

We will be using the money to support people with dementia who will have the chance to visit the farm and enjoy the benefits of working outside.

A massive thank you to everyone that voted for us and for encouraging countless others to do the same. We have been blown away by the support we’ve had and this project continues to thrive thanks to your help.

Now, who’s got a drill handy? We’ve got a plaque to put up!

I have never really given much thought to hay, nor to the process of bailing it and storing it. However, when its your first ever batch from your own field and the work is done by a group of people you know well, the feelings change completely. On Friday 12 June, on a lovely sunny afternoon, Jakey said that we needed to get the hay bailed and into storage, as the rain was coming. The forecast was fine and we had planned to do the work on Sunday afternoon but Jakey insisted, so after a few quick phone calls to get the required help, everyone arrived and the physical work started (a lot more physical than you might imagine). 156 bales were duly stored away just a minutes before the rain pored down! Why hasn’t Jakey got a job for the meteorological office?

To smell that barn, full of newly mown hay is the smell of teamwork. It was a fantastic moment for all concerned and a date to remember – another first for the farm. Thank you to all those that responded to the cry for help.

On Saturday 20 June we had another workparty and what a day. Almost 30 people came during the course of the day and we achieved so much. An area near the front gates that has almost completely been cleared by students from Great Yarmouth College over the previous couple of weeks, was tidied up, the last few bushes were cut down, piles of stuff was burnt and large amounts of rubble was removed. This area is now ready to plan out as it is to become our ‘Sensory Garden’. A complete contrast from the overgrown wasteland that used to welcome people’s arrival.

At the last work day a few weeks ago, three small storage areas on the far corner of the barns, beyond the dairy, had been knocked into one to form a kitchen. The three rooms all had quite different floor levels and on Saturday those floors were broken up and the hardcore removed so that we can lay a new, flat base. This was an immense amount of hard graft and we are so grateful for those heroes that just continued to bash and chip and carry all day. Incredible dedication.

The other momentous occurrence this weekend was the erection of the polytunnel frame. Its true that the most important part of most jobs in in the planning and setting out. That was never more true than with this construction. The positioning and levels of each footplate was crucial and took more than half the time spent on the whole thing. By 5pm we had the most beautiful site of a 28 x 54ft skeleton all ready to be kitted out and clad. I was getting so excited by the end of the afternoon, just walking around the site and seeing all the areas that had been progressed. You really are an amazing group of people and I am so privileged to be part of this great charity.

I am so excited I’ve had to attach another photo just to show the naked beast that will soon be the maternity ward to young vegetables!

Next weekend (Saturday 27 June) we are getting together again. We got so close to completing the polytunnel that we are aiming to finishing it then. There are lots and lots of jobs still to do so please do come along if you can spare some time… it would be great to see you.

Geoff

Having won our group in the Aviva voting section of the funding bid we have to submit answers to further questions regarding the needs in our area and how we will specifically tackle them. We are now in the hands of the Aviva judging panel who will inform us by the end of June if we have won the money. Thanks to everyone of you who voted and got friends to vote. We will email again once we know the outcome.

A huge amount has been going on at the farm lately. Each Tuesday and Wednesday this term we have had groups of students from Great Yarmouth College coming along and clearing, cutting down, fixing, burning and having fun. They have been amazing and have worked so hard. The momentum this has created is wonderful as, every week, more and more areas of wasteland are being turned into areas of huge potential… how will we get through the summer months without them?

Last Thursday we had the pleasure of hosting a team from the Department for Work and Pension’s volunteering programme. What a day. The sun was out, everyone was keen and we were able to form four teams who worked on different parts of the farm. Putting in fence posts for the goat pen was difficult work as the ground was so hard but nothing deterred them… brambles with thorns that fought back were tamed and holes that were needed for the polytunnel feet were dug deep. It was very exciting to walk across the field from working in one area and see enthusiastic activity going on in so many other parts of the site.

Everyone that visits is truly impressed at the amount of work we have done with so little money but so much heart and passion. It is thrilling to think about how good this project is going to be and how many people it will bless because of your support and care.

Next weekend (Saturday 20 June) we are having another work day where, amongst other things, we aim to erect the polytunnel itself. This will be a massive landmark in our development as it means that we can start the very pleasurable work of growing crops. If you can make it, you’ll enjoy seeing the changes and we’ll enjoy seeing you.

Geoff