We are Hiring!

There is an exciting vacancy at Wick Care Farm CIC in rural Worcestershire for a Client Support Worker with responsibility for livestock.

Location: Wick Grange Farm, Owletts Lane, Wick, Pershore, WR10 3PB.
Wick Care Farm is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company based at Wick Grange Farm. It is a welcoming, friendly place where adults and children with a range of needs are supported to carry out a wide variety of activities based on the farm.

Contract: Part-time.

Hours: This role is part-time (16 hours across 2 days – hours to be agreed on employment)

Rate of pay/Salary: Annual salary of £22,880.00 pro rata (£9,152.00) (£11 per hour/£88 per day). This post also attracts an employer pension contribution of 3% and paid annual leave of 12 days pa.

  • We are recruiting for a Client Support Worker to help us meet the demand for our special services.
    This job would suit a qualified person who is interested in using an outdoor setting as a therapeutic environment to work with people who have a variety of support needs . The candidate will have experience with animals and an interest in working with animals in this environment.
    This is an exciting opportunity for someone to use & develop their supportive skills over a long period of time and make a difference to people’s lives.

    Specific requirements for the role:
    ●    Knowledge and experience of working with diverse groups, including individuals with mental    health, dementia, autism and / or complex needs.
    ●    Good communication skills.
    ●    Confidence, fitness and enthusiasm for working outdoors with animals and horticulture and using hand tools
    ●    Ability to take responsibility for animal husbandry: the health and welfare of the animals, in particular sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese; leading on livestock feeding routines, hygiene and medication; ordering and keeping feedstocks up to date; animal record keeping.
    ●    Active listening skills and awareness of professional codes of conduct including confidentiality.
    ●    Perseverance and motivation.
    ●    Due to the nature of the work, the post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

To apply:
If you would like to apply, we’d love to hear from you. Please email info@wickgrange.co.uk to arrange a call to discuss this role more with the care farm manager and to ask for an information pack. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

Closing date for applications is July 21st , with farm visit interviews to be held 3 weeks later.

Little moments at Wick Care Farm

The best month is June
Flowers in the afternoon
Birds singing in tune

Paula Goldsmith’s haiku certainly sums up the atmosphere for staff and clients here at Wick Care Farm. Three months ago I wrote about chilly hands clasped around hot morning cuppas. Last week, those very same hands clung to cold glasses of water in the welcome shade of the garden parasol in the yard. Staff and clients all agreed unanimously: “Summer has arrived!

Be it the warm sun, cool drinks or vibrant flowers, June brings with it much to be grateful for at Wick Care Farm. In the spirit of this, we’d like to give a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us by purchasing a tomato plant (or six!) over the past few months, as well as to the whole team for sowing and growing each and every one of them by hand.

Potting on Tomato plants at Wick Care Farm

We are also grateful for the arrival of our six goslings and two ducklings, who have brought with them soft downy feathers and chattering bills. In my last article, I wrote about the precious moments and memories we create at Wick Care Farm, and I am pleased to report that a morning spent with a gosling upon your lap is a magical morning indeed.

Curious gosling content on K’s lap

‘Change’ is of course the constant theme of the farm. Seemingly, in the blink of an eye, the ducklings and goslings are now out in the field, nuzzling their way through the tall grass. Our spring lambs are starting to look more and more like ‘mini sheep’, and Ginger and Spice – our resident pigs – are getting bigger by the day. They can usually be seen (and heard!) trudging about their field on Owletts Lane in search of a tasty morsel or two…

Speaking of tasty morsels, it was a proud moment when Steve realised that he had planted, harvested, chopped and helped to cook this whopper of a cauliflower at Wick Care Farm.

When people ask me about Wick Care Farm, It is easy to describe the proven benefits of care farming for physical, emotional and social wellbeing. It is easy to list all kinds of wonderful, supported activities we do here, and how they benefit all kinds of people.

With that being said, Steve’s smile illustrates something that is perhaps a little more difficult to describe. Wick Care Farm is also about little moments. The feeling of bringing a plateful of freshly baked cookies to an eager table during morning break for all to share. The feeling of exertion and satisfaction in seeing a well-stacked wood store where an unceremonious pile once stood. The feeling of walking a haltered sheep for the very first time, in spite of your nerves.

Although the birdsong described in Paula Goldsmith’s ode to June refers to the wonder of the dawn chorus, little moments at Wick Care Farm show that everyone has a song to sing. For some, it’s the delicate melody of caring for the plants in our allotment and polytunnel. For others, it’s the crescendo of a flock of friendly sheep, trundling towards a feed bucket. For others, it is simply the rhythmic sense of participation, conversation and shared enjoyment.

With gratitude for little moments in mind, I am reminded of our humble robin, who has been visiting us every morning for the past few weeks. Over time, he has become very relaxed in our presence; hopping between the rafters, nipping down to the floor for a crumb or two, and chirping away beside the table. His arrival is always met with wide eyes, hushed voices and appreciative smiles, and it was no surprise for us to learn that robins are often considered symbolic messengers on behalf of lost loved ones. It’s another special reminder that at Wick Care Farm, little moments are always waiting to be found.

Written by Jack Cummings , A Volunteer at Wick Care Farm

Tomatoes for Sale the Care Farm Gate

21 varieties of tomatoes and some other plants will be available to purchase at the farm gate. All plants are £1 each or 6 for £5.
All plant varieties can be grown both indoors or outdoors and we use peat-free compost.
Payment can be made by putting cash in the jar provided or by card  or bank transfer if you message Isobel to make an appointment. During the week, this is best outside of group times (10am – 3pm).

 

Time Flies – no Two days are the same on the farm… by Jo Ballin

I can hardly believe I have been involved with Wick Care Farm for nearly 8 years now. In that time the Care Farm has grown from a hopeful vision to a wonderful thriving community. Sometimes it feels like no time at all but then I take a step back and look at what we have achieved and it feels like a lifetime. We really must produce a photographic record to illustrate how things have developed and changed over the years.

If there’s one skill we all need at the care farm it’s the ability to adapt to change. We get used to the changing seasons and the different jobs that need doing at different times of year. We get used to saying goodbye to some of our animals and welcoming (and naming) new additions. We get used to making a plan for the day then quickly thinking on our feet and replanning when we realise the weather forecasters got it wrong.

We also have to get used to changes of faces on the farm. When people are no longer around, for whatever reason, we often spend time reminiscing about things they contributed to the group. We especially love talking about things that made us smile or laugh out loud. We have recently decided to turn an area of the care farm yard into a memory garden where people can sit and remember people we no longer see. There is also a very beneficial aspect to a change of faces because everyone who joins the group brings something new and positive with them.

At Christmas, I stepped back from my role as Occupational Therapist at the Care Farm and with this the door is open for someone new to join the team and bring a whole new set of knowledge and experience to the party. I don’t think it was specified in the job description that they may be expected to turn every conversation into a song (maybe they are hoping for a bit of peace and quiet when I take my love of a singsong elsewhere 😊). I am not planning to disappear and will still be a familiar sight (and sound) around the farm. I will definitely be popping in for a cuppa, especially when flapjacks are on offer, and will continue to manage our flock of Jacob sheep. I have been closely involved in all the fundraising bids and events and I will continue to drive these forwards. Our current aim is to raise enough money to create a more comfortable and attractive indoor space for our regular groups, and to offer to the wider community.

I know that some people are fearful of change but in the words of Wendy Mass “If nothing ever changed, there would be no such things as butterflies”.

We are hiring!

Job Title:  Co-ordinator of Therapeutic Activities

Location: Wick Grange Farm, Owletts Lane, Wick, Pershore, WR10 3PB. 

Hours: 16/24 hours across 2/3 days – to be agreed on employment)

Salary: £20,800 pa pro rata (£10 per hour).

Contract: Part-time, Permanent

We are recruiting for a Care Farm Co-ordinator of Therapeutic Activities. We need an individual, preferably with a diverse skill set, who is committed to empowering people through outdoor activity. Our dynamic team, many of whom are volunteers, works with young people, adults and older people who have a variety of health and support needs including mental health issues, dementia, autism and learning difficulties. A cheerful, creative, patient and enthusiastic approach is essential

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about the outdoors and wants to work in an alternative environment, where it is possible to use and develop their skills supporting individuals over a long period of time and make a difference to their lives. 

This job would suit a qualified Occupational Therapist or other suitably qualified and experienced person who is interested in using an outdoor setting as a therapeutic environment to work with people who have a variety of support needs.

 We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from qualified candidates from a wide range of backgrounds.

Summary of role:

This role is responsible for co-ordinating the assessment, goal planning, activity planning, monitoring, and reviews for all clients. They will liaise, as closely as possible, with the client, Wick Care Farm team, outside professionals, family members and/or significant others.

They will be responsible, alongside the rest of the staff team, for providing practical and emotional support to clients and empower them to achieve their goals.

Specific requirements for the role:

  • A qualification suitable for this therapeutic role
  • Knowledge and experience of working with diverse groups, including individuals with mental health, dementia, autism and / or complex needs
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to help build networks and establish partnerships
  • Confidence, fitness and enthusiasm for working outdoors with animals and horticulture and using hand tools. 
  • Active listening skills and awareness of professional codes of conduct including confidentiality 
  • Due to the nature of the work, the post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check

To apply:

If you would like to apply, we’d love to hear from you. For a full job description, please email info@wickgrange.co.uk to ask for an application pack. You can also view the listing at
https://uk.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=f60b925b915eb49e&from=native

Closing date for applications is 6 December 2021.

Spring has Sprung in 2021

Groups

Spring has sprung and at long last we are seeing some weather warm enough for our groups to take coffee breaks in the Care Farm yard.  The grass has started to grow but thankfully one of our clients is an enthusiastic mower and loves keeping the lawn neat and tidy for the rest of us to enjoy. Our groups are running Monday to Friday with only a couple of spaces available for new referrals. We have recently been excited to welcome back some of our fabulous longstanding volunteers and are pleased to also have a newcomer to the team.

Animals

Our 7 Jacob ewes now have 17 lambs between them. Mums and babies are all doing well and give our groups a lot of pleasure. Cherry successfully delivered quads so we are helping out by bottle feeding her lambs twice a day.

Rosebud had twins boys called Cleggy and Compo. Compo was a slow starter and not strong enough to stay with mum so is being hand reared. He was living the life of Riley; spending his nights having sleepovers with his “nurse” and friend Bertie the dog, and his days (once he was on his feet) in the field with his brother and “cousins”. He now lives out with the flock but loves his humans and is straight over for a bit of fuss at any opportunity.

Our piglets, Peggy and Babs, gave us quite a run around the day they arrived. They escaped from their new field (twice!) minutes after being let out of the crate and took us an hour (with the help of a number of wonderful neighbours and friends) to catch. They are now very settled and will happily roll over for a tummy tickle while grunting appreciatively.

The geese are laying well but their laying season is a short one. I would highly recommend scrambled goose egg on toast. If you’ve never tried it you are definitely missing out! Another little known secret is that duck eggs make the best cakes ever!

Plants

Tomato (and other) plants are now on sale at the Care Farm gate 7 days a week. There are varieties to suit every palate and every environment, all of which have been tried and tested and have received approval from our discerning groups. Please respect our clients by not asking us for assistance during group times; weekdays 10am-3pm. See our Facebook page for details or contact Isobel@wickgrange.co.uk 

Fundraising

Thanks to the enthusiasm of Pershore Rotary, our determination to raise the money needed to improve and extend the Care Farm buildings continues. 

We have recently applied for and received a Grant for £10,000 from National Lottery “Awards for All”. This grant will go towards essential insulation of the ceilings and walls, to keep the building warm enough for all clients to attend even on the coldest of days. We still have a long way to go with our fundraising and Grant applications before our hopes and dreams can become a reality, but we are getting closer to our goal with every step.

Please help us by signing up for www.easyfundraising.org.uk and nominating Wick Care Farm as the cause you wish to support.

 

Kitchen Refurbishment & Fundraising Update

Once again everyone at Wick Care Farm would like to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has already supported our Kitchen Refurbishment fundraising efforts. 

We are currently in the process of researching possible grants to apply for, as well as obtaining quotes for the insulation and flooring.  

The design and layout of the kitchen, including plans for the fixtures and fittings we would like to install is starting to come together. This has required a lot of careful consideration, and we’re continuing to discuss our plans with clients and staff, as well as professional kitchen designers.      

We are currently thinking of other COVID-friendly fundraising ideas, as we are uncertain as to when we will be able to start hosting our popular Pop Up markets again. 

In the meantime, you can support us (at no extra cost!) by signing up for Easyfundraising and nominating Wick Care Farm as your chosen cause. Any online shopping you do from the numerous businesses involved (including Amazon and many holiday companies) will then raise funds for us at no extra cost or hassle to you. Just click the following link to sign up: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/ 

If you have any suggestions for COVID-friendly fundraising, please do let us know.

New Year – New life…

January is not everyone’s favourite time of year. Christmas is over and it seems a long time until we can look forward to warmer weather and longer daylight hours. At Wick Care Farm (WCF) January is a month we very much look forward to in spite of the cold, damp, dark days. Yes indeed we may spend most of our time outside, breaking the ice on the water buckets and trudging through muddy puddles, but at this time of year we eagerly await the arrival of our hand reared (aka cade) Jacob lambs. It is a good job there is not quite so much to do on the veg garden in the winter months as lambs are such wonderful time wasters. At less than a week old the lambs entertain us for hours with their playfulness, their mischievous exploration, and their willingness to curl up on our laps for a cuddle after filling their bellies with milk.

This year we are on names beginning with “C” and have a list of around 46 suggested names to choose from. So far we have 5 lambs called Colin, Clair, Coca-Cola, Connie, and Cedric.

In January 2019 we were on letter “A”. We named our first ewe lamb Lady A after Lady Araminta Aldington, Patron of the Jacob Sheep Society. In April 2019 Lady A and Alicia, along with Arnie and (everyone’s favourite cade lamb) Alan, went to live in Great Comberton. The girls have just had lambs of their own and, although rather shell shocked by the whole event, were keen to tell the boys all about it and show off their new babies.

We are hoping that our 7 adult ewes are now pregnant and due to give birth at the end of March. If you have a special “C” name you would like us to consider please tell us the name, and the story behind why the name is special to you, and we will add it to our list.

The Lands End to John O’Groats Virtual Challenge…Complete!

There is no denying that 2020 has been a difficult year but if you, like us, are determined to find the silver lining in every cloud, there have been some positives along the way too.

We were obliged to close the Care Farm for three months from March to June 2020 which felt very uncomfortable. We missed seeing of all our regulars, and although we kept in touch by phoning, messaging, emailing and good old pigeon post, we were aware this was a poor substitute for our usual input. On the bright side it really brought home to us how much being part of the Care Farm community means to people and we were so happy when we were able to welcome folk back in June.

On October 29th Isobel and Jo joined Pershore Rotary Club to walk the 1083 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats. We have been incredibly inspired and energised by the support of Pershore Rotary club this year. We cannot overstate how grateful we are to them for organising and leading our recently completed 1083 mile sponsored walk which has, so far, raised over £2,200 towards our kitchen renovation project.

The walk to John O’Groats may be over but we still have a way to go to turn our dream of a fit-for-purpose kitchen into a reality. With the ongoing support on offer from Pershore Rotary Club, and thanks to all of you amazing individuals who have kindly donated already, it really does feel that together we will achieve our goal.

On 31st December we arrived in John O’Groats in time to see the new year in. So please join us now by raising your glass to toast “Pershore Rotary Club and all those who have given their support to Wick Care Farm”. THANK YOU!

Virtual Walk of a Lifetime: Memory Lane

Our Virtual walking team have been plodding onwards in spite of the cold and fog last week. We are now approaching Keighley where my oldest son was born 27 years ago. I have walked many miles up hill and down dale in Yorkshire. It is a truly beautiful area with heather moorland and mile upon mile of drystone walls. I am looking forward to visiting my old stomping ground where I will enjoy reminiscing about the miles I walked in 1993 initially with a bump at the front and later with a sleeping baby in a backpack.

Jo