NCFI Third National Conference Summary
Care Farming – Working Partnerships
16th September 2010
Introduction
Around 100 delegates attended NCFI’s third conference, titled ‘Working Partnerships’. After a welcome from the Director of International Policy at Harper Adams University College, Professor Brian Revell, Gordon Gatward, chair of NCFI, outlined one of the conference themes: care farming had successfully grown and raised its profile during the previous years, but NCFI now needed to form a new structure, so that the movement could develop in future - ideas on this were developed at a workshop the previous day and would be circulated shortly.
Main plenary
The conference started with an informative and amusing speech by Tom Heap (Presenter of BBC’s rural and environmental series, Costing the Earth). He was supportive of care farming, and confident that the movement would grow, saying it offered a new method of service delivery and a way to bridge the urban-rural divide. And he suggested branding of care farm products, like Fairtrade, was a significant and untapped income opportunity.
But Mr Heap warned of the risks as the movement grew, and gave hints on dealing with the media, so that they could be turned from ‘tricky customer to powerful ally.’ He said the media loved to run scare stories and feed people’s prejudices, and could imagine headlines such as ‘Crooks in a county near you’. This and the country’s clichéd images of rural areas, which people did not want altered, could make care farms be seen negatively.
He said the way to get good publicity was to use individual stories of redemption. And he said the movement needed to develop a robust narrative if it was to obtain public backing and withstand negative media coverage - which he warned was inevitable one day (as had happened in Holland this year) and NCFI should be prepared for.
See images from Tom Heap's Presentation here
Speakers
Stephanie Pedrick (Owner/manger, Oak Park Care Farm) gave a graphic account of running her two care farms, Roseland and Plushayes, and the challenges of farming Cornish bog and fighting off moorland rabbits. She said going for accreditation had helped her secure the tenancy of Plushayes from Cornwall County Council, but the lack of referrals currently made this care farm unviable – it was only sustained by her having two farms and running a farm shop as well.
See Stephanie’s Presentation here
After a break for coffee, Sari Kelsey (Manager of Recovery Services, Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health Trust) gave delegates ideas on how to develop partnerships with commissioners. She spoke of three success factors: the need to have a good concept (bring together farmers with a recovery model that enabled people to function); choose the right time (capitalise for example on the introduction of direct payments and personal budgets); and the importance of good communication (have a belief in ones work, determination and optimism).
See Sari's presentation here
Before lunch, Michael Lishman also gave a moving account of his volunteering work at Growing Well care farm in Cumbria.
Before tea, delegates heard about the development of three regional networks of care farms – these are also summarised in NCFI’s Summer 2010 Newsletter.
· Caroline Matheson said a multi agency steering group in Scotland had now formed a registered charity and was now looking towards holding its first AGM, electing a chair, and hosting a conference.
See Caroline's Presentation here
· Larry Atwood documented the activities of Care Farming West Midlands, where three years funding from the Regional Development Agency had so far nurtured 11 new care farms and secured increased placements of mental health and excluded youth. However, risk-averse commissioners, delays in personalisation and a thinly spread staff team had delayed further progress.
See Larry's Presentation here (Powerpoint 2007)
· Ellie Goff described the creation of the East Anglia Care Farming Group, which now met every couple of months and whose profile had been significantly boosted after the county hosted a visit by a Norwegian Study Group of care farmers.
See Ellie's Presentation here
Concluding the conference, Rachel Hine (University of Essex) gave an outline of the research, funding schemes and other initiatives taking place in the UK and mainland Europe.
See Rachel's Presentation here
Memorable quotes
‘It’s time for the sector to move on - to make it fit for purpose, and ready for the next stage of evolution.’
‘It’s the people that make care farms work – not the plants or the programme.’
‘Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I’ll understand, involve me and I’ll remember.’
‘Disguise the care part in the farming.’
‘The time has come for care farming - its moment has arrived.’
Delegates List
John Sones - Small Holder Magazine
Corale Hopwood - The Able project
John Le Corney - Heeley City Farm
Symmer Sandhu - Dignus Healthcare
Samantha Marriott - Dignus Healthcare
John Hirons - Federation of City Farms
and Community Gardens
Keeley Thomas - Federation of City Farms
and Community Gardens
Colin Branston - Aunt Addie’s Farm Project
Stephen Sellers - New Farm Horizons
Julia Evans - E & P Evans / Longlands Care
Farm
Mr Walker - E & P Evans / Longlands Care
Farm
Debbie Evans - Robert Owen Communities
Ross Evans - Hurst Hall Farm
Ann De Bock - Rural Care @ Church Farm
Brendon Fletcher-Chard - Sherratts Wood Farm
Jonathan Dover - Private
Gemma May - Outward
James Taylor - LEAF
John Atherton - Stable Trading Company CIC
Kerryn Anderson - Care Farming West Midlands
Katie Johnson - Care Farming West Midlands
Catherine Haynes - Care Farming West Midlands
Michael Whithouse - Care Farming West Midlands
Vincent Coyle - Private
Hans Widmann - St John of God Kidlare Services
Martin Ellis - Arthur Rank Training
Berni Courts - Ruskin Mill College
Isabel Hands - The Warriner School Farm
Christopher Holloway - The Warriner School Farm
Carol Ann Carney - Upper Moreton Farm Rural Project
Gareth Gaunt - Carlshead Ltd
Julie Plumley - Rylands Farm
James O’Brien - Rylands Farm
Tony Sharps - Lambourne End Centre
Rebecca Russell - Moray Market Garden Co
Nigel Lowthorp - Hill Holt Wood
Ian Beeson - Hill Holt Wood
Chris Leck - University of Worcester
Ed Davies - Glevum Farm Trust
Stephen Foale - Beacon Life & Learning Centre
Mark Hobson - Ashfield Gardens – Camphill Houses
Alexandra Chalmers - Learning Fields Community Interest
Company
Douglas Chalmers - Learning Fields Community Interest
Company
David Rose - Farmeco Community Care Farm
Jenny Bowen - Natural England
Dave Cintis - Private
Mark Cintis - Private
Michael Hancock - Herefordshire Voluntary Action
Robert Dewar - Action for Children
Amy Reynolds - Action for Children
Penny Bond - Hush Farms
George Smith - Autism Initiatives Northern Ireland
Simon Bullock - Autism Initiatives Northern Ireland
Susan Seymour - Moss Peteral Farm
Louise Hare - HAUC Student
Elizabeth John - Amelia Trust Farm
Lorraine Brown - Amelia Trust Farm
Martin Sales - Beckside
Lois Samuel - Gilead Foundation
Laura Alm - Gilead Foundation
Zita Murphy - Dept of Agriculture & Rural
Development (NI)
Emma Costley-White - Scrubditch Care Farm Project
Sue Gilling - Scrubditch Care Farm Project
Mark Davies - Care Farming West Midlands
Martin Stearman - Brown’s Place Farm
Emma Bogaard - Uncllys Farm
Eunice Simmons - Nottingham Trent University
Joanna Blake - Private
David Botterill - London Borough Barking &
Dagenham
Tim Sidaway - Garden Farm High Leas
Elspeth Clark - Private
Edward Hill - Gamelea Farm
Elizabeth Hill - Gamelea Farm
Penny Connorton - Gamelea Farm
John Gilmour - Private
Brian Hainsworth - Farming & Countryside
Education
Robin Maynard - Private
Esther Chamberlain - Crowmarsh Battle Farm
Fiona Williams - Institute of Rural Health
Gregory Potterton - Farm Safari
Mary Snow - Social & Community Services
David Hare - Private
Theresa Salmon - Newham City Farm
Shaun Thorogood - Private
Bernadette Thorogood - Private
Rebecca King - The Magdalen Project
George Glide - Private
Daniel Powell - Private
Helen Bailey - Farm 2 Grow Ltd
ENDS