Pathways Care Farm provides therapeutic day care for people living with mental ill-health, learning difficulties and dementia. They have a variety of lovely animals, as well as growing beautiful flowers and amazing vegetables. Their farm workers (service users) help with all aspects of farm life from feeding and tending to the livestock to planting, nurturing and harvesting the flowers and vegetables.
Lockdown has meant that, although this Lowestoft based organisation still needs to do the everyday work, they don’t have the privilege of working alongside the people they love and care for, and of whom benefit so much from being there. In order to help those who are isolated to stay connected, they started to produce videos showing everyday life on the farm which they posted on YouTube and sent the link to those who regularly come. These short films have become so popular that they now also feature films on topics from specific animals to certain areas and activities on the farm. The grant they received has helped the organisation to be able to buy more sophisticated equipment which will increase the quality of both visual and audio recordings, making the viewing experience more pleasurable (and real) and, additionally, they have been able to pay for someone to help produce the films, hence, freeing key people to concentrate on making sure the farm is running as well as it can, and that everyone who needs their support can receive it.
We are so grateful for this funding – the encouragement we have received is that the films bring a bit of sunshine and joy into many lives. The work we do is so vital and we all do it because we love it… but it can also be tiring, more-so when we don’t know the next step. To receive financial support like this is such an encouragement and a boost for moral. I cannot express my thanks well enough.
