Farm therapy for Kent families thanks to lottery grant

Area:

South East England

Programme:

Reaching Communities

Release date:

19 3 2013

A project working with troubled children and young people in deprived areas of Kent will provide therapeutic activities in animal care, gardening, growing and cooking, thanks to a grant of almost £112,000 from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) today.

Set on a 40-acre farm near Maidstone, Dandelion Time will provide support for children who have significant behavioural or emotional difficulties, often resulting from trauma, neglect, domestic violence or abuse. The project is one of five sharing almost £1.2m across the South East today.

Seventy seven per cent of children referred to Dandelion Time last year had experienced domestic abuse, and many are young carers as a result of parental mental or physical health problems. The Family Support Project will help children and young people aged 7-16 in Maidstone, Tonbridge, Medway Towns, Ashford, and Tunbridge Wells, to engage more positively in school and community life and overcome their difficulties.

Therapeutic group farm sessions will be delivered with children and carers, including animal care, gardening, growing and cooking. Working with animals and growing and harvesting fruit and vegetables will provide children with positive nurturing experiences, helping them to develop a sense of purpose and responsibility. They will prepare lunch with farm grown food to share with parents and other families, encouraging them to work together as a team and foster family relationships. The children will also undertake creative craft projects, music and drama activities, enabling them to express their feelings in non-destructive ways, relate to others without conflict, and to understand boundaries and develop trust.

Graham Carpenter, Chief Executive, said: “The Family Support Project will enable Dandelion Time to provide a vital farm-based therapeutic support service to children who are struggling to cope with the emotional effects of abuse, neglect or trauma. The project will engage the whole family in a range of farm-based as we believe that nurturing family relationships and bonds is a vital part of helping the child. Children will be supported to overcome past suffering, develop in confidence and self-esteem and discover a new and positive path to follow, based on a supportive and positive home environment.” 

In an evaluation of the existing project, 88 per cent of children and young people were successfully reintroduced to school or another educational or training provision, every parent identified an improvement in family relationships, and there were significant improvements in areas such as peer relationships and how children are able to integrate with their peers and form friendships.

Also receiving funding from BIG today is Brighton Housing Trust, which will use its £294,570 grant to help get previously homeless people ready for work and leading healthy lifestyles. The First Impressions project recognises the multiple barriers to employment homeless people face, especially if they have been homeless for a long time. It will provide CV relevant vocational training courses, ranging from accredited food hygiene certificates and formal football coaching to painting and decorating, and will include work placements. The project also focuses on skills training, and providing participants with access to dentist appointments, new clothing, hairdressing and similar services addressing personal barriers.

And Epsom and Ewell Citizens Advice Bureau will provide outreach support to people with severe and enduring mental health problems in Epsom and Ewell as well as Mole Valley, Reigate, Banstead and Tandridge, following their grant of £298,352 from BIG today.

The project will provide advice on housing and debt management, and aims to reduce financial anxiety among participants, while liaising with health care professionals who have the specialist knowledge of both the mental health conditions and the legal context. Clients suffer illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, severe depression and anxiety are very vulnerable and require continuous support.

Today’s funding across the South East comes from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme, aiming to help those most in need and build stronger communities.

Sacha Rose-Smith, Big Lottery Fund spokesperson, said: “Dandelion Time’s therapeutic and creative activities offer an invaluable opportunity for children and families to engage, express themselves and enjoy themselves, in a non-threatening farm environment.

“Enabling people to have better chances in life, including being able to increase their confidence and overall well-being, is at the core of BIG’s Reaching Communities programme.

“I am sure these grants will all help disadvantaged people across the South East to improve their prospects and well-being.”

Big Lottery Fund Press Office: 020 7211 1888
Out of hours media contact: 07867 500 572
Full details of the Big Lottery Fund programmes and grant awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
Ask BIG a question here: https://ask.biglotteryfund.org.uk
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• The Big Lottery Fund (BIG), the largest distributor of National Lottery good cause funding, is responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised for good causes by the National Lottery.
• BIG is committed to bringing real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need and has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK. Since its inception in 2004 BIG has awarded close to £6bn.
• The Fund was formally established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
• Since the National Lottery began in 1994, 28p from every pound spent by the public has gone to good causes. As a result, over £29 billion has now been raised and more than 383,000 grants awarded across arts, sport, heritage, charities, health, education and the environment.

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