Oak Farm provides a farm based day opportunity, primarily supporting around 25 per day Monday to Friday. Our support is mainly focused on people with learning disabilities and also people with some mental health needs, they are called the workers as this best describes what they do. The service we provide is based in Ditton priors in Shropshire and has been operating since the early 90s, originally operated by the council until December 2016, when the support contract transferred to Bethphage (https://bethphage.co.uk/). Prior to this, the land was transferred on a community land transfer arrangement with a local group of people who make up the board of the Community Land Trust (CLT). The lease is between the council and the CLT and was assigned to Bethphage on the transfer of the service, we occupy the buildings on the site and access to a some of the land in exchange for rent. The lease allows us to use the site weekdays 8am to 6pm and access at the weekends to tend to the animals.
People work in small groups of 6-8 people with a staff member and carry out a range of activities and tasks which include planting, harvesting fruits and vegetables, which are sold in the on-site shop, we keep a flock of chickens, donkey, pony, alpacas, goats, small animals etc. Flowers are grown to plant up hanging baskets and pots which are sold from the site, at Xmas a range of Xmas crafts are created and sold, including wreaths. Produce is used to make chutneys and jams, which are sold in the shop. The farm hosts and annual show and brings in a number of stall holders to sell and promote their wares. The workers create flower displays for the local Burwarton show, which are sold after the show to raise funds and this has been an arrangement for many years, with donations of all manner of things gifted to the farm for the excellent work they do. I can go on in more detail but please have a look at our site and the FaceBook site which showcases what they do.