Wick Care Farm

Annual review July 2025-26

A year of thoughtful change, stronger foundations and growing community impact at Wick Care Farm

Since July 2025, Wick Care Farm has combined the everyday work of supporting clients through purposeful farm-based activity with an ambitious programme of organisational development. It has been a year of preparing for change, investing in people and facilities, broadening community relationships and strengthening the foundations for a sustainable future.

The year has also brought challenges—from rising costs and constrained fees to bird flu and a particularly hot growing season—but the response throughout has been practical, collaborative and forward-looking.

Planning for a sustainable future
Directors devoted significant attention to Wick Care Farm’s medium- and long-term direction, considering the future impact on clients, recruitment and overall sustainability. This was facilitated and led by David Wilson who has a wealth of CEO and trustee experience in the charity  and care farming sector. Staff were consulted as part of this process, ensuring that their experience and perspectives helped inform the farm’s priorities. The resulting strategy work has sharpened those priorities, strengthened the focus on long-term outcomes and highlighted the need to improve how outcomes are tracked so that progress and impact can be demonstrated more clearly.

Leadership capacity was strengthened with Anna Barthorpe’s appointment as a new director and David’s appointment as the new chair of the Steering Group. Anna brings senior HR knowledge and experience to the team.  Isobel Meikle is moving from Manager to CEO, and preparations for this transition included creating a new Operations Manager job profile, interviewing three candidates and appointing Lucy Griffiths (aka LC) to the role. She is a registered social worker with a management background. The organisation also began identifying core funding and grant opportunities to provide additional resources during the management transition. A £5,000 grant from the Country Landowners Association (CLA) provided core funding. Although the Postcode Lottery bid was unsuccessful, there will be another opportunity to apply, and the team will also need to identify other potential funding avenues.

Supporting clients and investing in people
A review of the client group and the long-term outcomes the farm seeks to achieve confirmed the value of maintaining a mixed community while recruiting more young people, those with mental health challenges and people living with dementia at an earlier stage in their journey. Daily attendance has typically ranged from six to eight clients, with current capacity for up to nine clients each day. Referrals are managed by Eleanor Mardle (a registered Occupational Therapist), who does a holistic independence assessment to establish their level of need and what they hope to achieve at Wick Care Farm.  This year, we said goodbye to several clients as they moved on to new chapters. For example, one is preparing to go to university in September—an achievement she could never have envisaged when, four and a half years ago, she was struggling to leave the house. Another has progressed into voluntary work, while another has moved into a care home, having spent an extended time living in the community. We have also welcomed new clients, including younger people who are beginning to build the confidence they need to step out into the wider world and explore other opportunities. Increasing client numbers and building the volunteer base remain important priorities, alongside strengthening referral routes, including links with Abbotswood Medical Centre. We also had a very successful open day for professionals to build links for referrals and professional development.

Staff roles, responsibilities and rewards were reviewed. Salaries increased across the team, with additional increases for two senior members of staff. Following Jack’s departure, Lucy was recruited and took on the responsibility for livestock including the weekend and holiday rota. Staff development continued through training courses and a dedicated staff day, while policies were updated to support consistent and effective working. The farm also received valuable support from Worcestershire Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Alliance (VCSE) which provided training and networking opportunities.

 

The renewal of the Green Care Quality Mark (GCQM) through Social Farms & Gardens recognised the quality of Wick Care Farm’s approach and its commitment to providing a safe, purposeful and supportive environment.
Volunteers continued to make an essential contribution, with between nine and eleven client-supporting volunteers involved every week during the year. They have each committed to one day each week, working alongside staff from 9.30am to 3.30pm as well as taking part in training, briefings and handovers. The wider volunteer community includes eight Steering Group members, six fundraising committee members, seven Duke of Edinburgh volunteers and three other regular weekend volunteers, while eleven volunteers also supported events. Recruitment now includes defined behind-the-scenes roles, such as fundraising and grant applications. The year welcomed new volunteers while saying goodbye to others, and the farm continued its involvement with occupational therapy student placements and group visits from Worcester University.

Strengthening financial resilience
Financial planning focused on understanding the level of client attendance needed to meet annual costs. The same accountants continued to manage payroll and the annual audit, while school contracts were reviewed. A continuing challenge has been the freeze in fees from local mental health funding at a time when operating costs are rising, reinforcing the importance of diversified fundraising, grants and careful cost management.

Improving the farm environment
In addition to the core funding grant from the CLA (£5k), a grant of £10,000 from Severn Trent enabled the installation of a rainwater harvesting system serving the livestock areas, allotment and polytunnel. The improvement saves water and staff time while making day-to-day work more efficient and sustainable environmentally.

The Quiet Room project became a major focus in response to several practical needs: an on-site workspace for the new manager, a dedicated space for meetings and a calm, quiet place where clients could take time away from the farm’s busier activities. Local government grants, donations and events helped raise £32,000 in less than a year. Support included grants from Wychavon District Council and equipment funded by Pershore Rotary Group. The Quiet Room has now been installed and is in daily use, providing a flexible and much-needed space for clients and staff.

The fundraising team developed through regular meetings and a broader programme of community support. Local organisations, including Pershore Rotary Group, ran events, bingo and quizzes on the farm’s behalf, while the ongoing Mile a Day campaign is raising awareness of the benefits of walking, fresh air and connection with nature and aims to fund the replacement of the polytunnel skin, raised beds and internal structures. 

Growing community connections
Events brought clients, supporters and local residents together throughout the year. The Winter Fair in November 2025 and the Spring Plant Sale and Café in April 2026 each attracted around 300–400 visitors. In May 2026, the pop-up restaurant served a fine-dining meal featuring seasonal produce to 38 guests, with Duke of Edinburgh volunteers helping to serve the meal. Other highlights included social activities such as wreath-making and felting. These events, together with visits from Biff, Bang Pow, Band Age and the Pershore U3A Ukulele Band, enriched clients’ experience and brought music and variety to farm life.

Community engagement extended well beyond the farm gate. Wick Care Farm attended local events including the carnival and activities at Pershore College, welcomed a visit from Pershore Abbey Eco Church, developed relationships with social prescribers and other organisations, and continued to benefit from Wychavon support. Duke of Edinburgh participants provided service to the farm, while the farm supported them in return. Isobel gave talks to local groups, and community organisations made use of the farm’s facilities.

Communications also moved forward. Information on the website was updated and improved, while coverage in the Pershore Times, Wick News and Visit Pershore helped more people discover the farm’s work. Wick Care Farm also maintains a presence on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, helping supporters and the wider community stay connected with its activities and impact.

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Farm life, quality and the year ahead
Growing food, caring for livestock and eating together remained central to the farm’s rhythm, creating shared purpose and opportunities for clients, staff and volunteers to connect. This continued despite the challenges of the weather, bird flu and rising feed and seed costs. Lambing was another important feature of the year: five ewes produced ten healthy lambs, and the farm also welcomed five hand-reared lambs from a neighbouring farmer in Strensham.

Looking ahead, the priorities are clear: complete the management transition, increase client and volunteer participation, strengthen impact measurement, secure sustainable funding and continue investing in the people and places that make the farm thrive. The progress made since July 2025 provides a strong platform for the next chapter.