Care Farming helps local people of all ages, by using the farm environment to improve confidence, self-esteem, physical health and motivation. It can also provide respite breaks and opportunities for people to mix and socialise with others to develop their interests, skills and knowledge.

The Growing in Suffolk Care Farming event brought together almost 130 delegates including over 60 health and social care professionals and is believed to have been the biggest social enterprise event in Suffolk for many years.

All the social enterprises and businesses exhibiting at the event held in Debenham reported obtaining valuable opportunities to collaborate and work with others, and according to feedback the majority have picked up new customers too.

Growing Together was designed to show case Suffolk’s social businesses that operate care farms, to health and social care professionals, plus the wider community and was the inspiration of farmer Doeke Dobma, Director of Clinks Care Farm near Beccles.  The event was organised with support from Brightspace Business Support Team, a SuffolkACRE business.

Speakers included Suffolk Smallholder Debbie Rawlinson Director of Downham Cottage Care Farm, who is currently working with NHS Suffolk to deliver care farm programmes to people “Living with and Beyond Cancer.”  The event also premièred a new film "Farming on Prescription.” Councillor Mark Bee leader of Suffolk County Council, Dr Dan Poulter MP and the national umbrella body Care Farming UK also spoke at the event and expressed their support for care farming in Suffolk which is providing therapeutic farming activities to a wide range of local people.
 
One of the fifteen exhibitors, the social enterprise Chediston Care Farming near Halesworth, utilises a 36 acre farm to provide health, social and rehabilitation opportunities in a supervised and structured programme of farming related activities. Whilst larger care farms exhibiting included the 250 acre Potsford Farm and horse livery near Wickham Market, which has been specifically set up to operate as a care farm and is staffed by registered health professionals and support workers.
 
Jane Taylor Social Enterprise Specialist for Brightspace said
“We were very pleased to have been involved in organising this event, which has made a very positive contribution to the future growth and sustainability of social businesses in Suffolk. The market place is changing; empowering enterprises to collaborate and market themselves direct to purchasers is something we could be doing more of.”


Growing Together was supported by

Brightspace. Care Farms UK. Clinks Care Farm  SuffolkACRE  Suffolk County Council and Windcrop

An audio of the event is availble here