Services | Wick Care Farm

What is a care farm?

Care farming is the therapeutic application of farming activities/facilities. There are around 400 care farms in the UK; providing supervised, structured programmes of farm-related activities for people who may benefit. At Wick Care Farm, our focus is to enable people to participate in farm-based activities for the benefit of their mental and physical health.

Where are you based?

Wick Care Farm is set in 270-acres of rural farmland near Pershore, Worcestershire.

Who is Wick Care Farm suitable for?

Wick Care Farm CIC (Community Interest Company) is open to adults and young people (11+) who may benefit from participating in farm-based activities, including people living with:

Mental illness
Learning difficulties
Mild cognitive impairment
Other support needs

Activities

Individuals participate in range of activities during the structured day at Wick Care Farm, including:

Animal care (feeding, enrichment, mucking out, enclosure maintenance.)
Horticulture (sowing, growing.)
Cooking
Arts & crafts
General maintenance
Conservation projects.

Setting & facilities

Our setting & facilities include:

Level access to two large meeting rooms with toilet facilities.
A newly refurbished kitchen.
A large allotment, polytunnel and greenhouse.
A fully-enclosed yard with raised beds and outdoor seating.
Sheep, chickens, ducks, geese and pigs, as well as a seasonal intake of turkeys.
Access to 240 acres of rural farmland, including private river frontage.

Benefits

Care farming is a unique mechanism of action, combining nature; social interaction; purposeful activity; and therapeutic support. These characteristics offer several evidence-based benefits, including:

Reduced feelings of anxiety, depression, hopelessness & isolation.
Improved (or slowing the decline of) cognitive & functional health.
Development of skills, independence, social connections and self-esteem.
Improved physical wellbeing and fitness.

Referral process & cost

People attending Wick Care Farm come from a range of referral sources, including:

Worcestershire County Council
Health and social care organisations
Local schools
Self-referrals

The cost of attending Wick Care Farm depends on the individual's level of need.

To enquire about attending Wick Care Farm, please use our submissions form or email us at info@wickcarefarm.co.uk.