19th November 2007
Big Lottery boosts organic education
Bridge Farm Links Ltd, based at Bridge Farm, Snitterby Carr, has won a much sought after grant from The Big Lottery Fund, Reaching Communities programme.
Bridge Farm Links is a social enterprise company which combines organic horticulture with training for young people who have difficulty coping with the conventional school environment – or who have special educational needs. The aim is to offer more choices in training and employment for young people who might otherwise fall outside the conventional educational system.
Bridge Farm is certified by the Soil Association – the government approved body which regulates organic status - and, since its inception in 2005, Bridge Farm Links Ltd has been steadily developing organic production of vegetables, both in the field and in polytunnels. The produce – which is free of chemicals and pesticides, and has to travel only a few miles - is marketed through local farmers markets, and via a vegetable box scheme which is also based at the farm.
Horticulture is the main work of the young people, but they also deal with animal management and other farming tasks. Bridge Farm’s organic status will also ensures that conservation and rural skills will be high on the agenda.
The Big Lottery grant is a boost which means these skills and the educational and organic ethos which supports them can really make a difference to the rural community. The grant will last for three years and will enable additional staff to be employed for the expansion of training as well as vegetable production. It will also allow Bridge Farm Links to further develop involvement with local schools for whom farm visits have already proved a highlight.
Bridge Farm is an approved venue under the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme (CEVAS) developed by the government-supported Access to Farms partnership. In addition, the company offers a range of rural skills workshops which are open to the general public.
For more information contact David Cooper 07721 527694 bridgefarmlinks@aol.comWeb:
www.bridgefarmlinks.co.uk.
As Shown in Gainsborough Standard Dated Thursday August 2007
Farm in Line for award for helping yougsters.
By Andrea Borrowdale
A Snitterby Carr farm that has been helping young people excluded from school to train in growing organic produce and conservation has been short-listed for a national award.
Bridge Farm Links, which was launched back in 2005, is competing against four other holdings for the UK Access Award - an award for farms that have demonstrated an outstanding achievement in encouraging access for young people with special needs or disaffected students.