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News & Events

News & Events

10 February 2010 

Robb looks forward to a busy year in 2010

Care Farming Scotland has a busy year ahead, as the organisation progresses towards achieving charitable status and sourcing sustainable funding for its continued operation. The latest developments will be reviewed at the next meeting of the Steering Group on 10 March in Edinburgh.

Martin Robb, Chair of the Care Farming Scotland Steering Group, said: "2010 is the year when Care Farming Scotland will come together as an effective organisation. Progress has been steady, though sometimes frustratingly slow. We have our application for charitable status lodged with OSCR - the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator - and we are actively exploring sources of sustainable funding.

"Meanwhile, our database is expanding rapidly with interested individuals and organisations who either are or want to be involved in care farming, and we know of several exciting initiatives that are underway to develop new care farming projects.

"We are very grateful to the Scottish Agricultural College who have 'hosted' Care Farming Scotland through 2009, and we look forward with confidence to building a solid and sustainable future for the organisation."

20 May 2009

CARE FARMING SCOTLAND IS GO!

Martin RobbThe launch of Care Farming Scotland at Ingliston on 19 May has been hailed as a great success by Steering Group Chair Martin Robb (pictured), who said that it had met and even exceeded the group's expectations. More than 90 people attended the event, and heard speakers including Sir Donald Curry, whose knowledgable and enthusiastic promotion of the concept of care farming led directly to the setting up of Care Farming Scotland. He spoke powerfully of the changes that had occurred in agriculture and the fundamental links between mankind and the land, which lead to the therapeutic effects time spent working on it.  

Other speakers included Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Debbie Wilcox from the National Care Farming Initiative and Bill McKelvey of the SAC who gave an update on the SAC's offer to resource the setting up of Care Farming Scotland and provide a secretariat for its first year of operation. Caroline Matheson of Ballicherry Farm and Jamie MacDonald from JobCentre Plus gave their perspectives on the successful Farm to Work project, and speakers from Cyrenians and Trellis told those attending about the work they have been doing in this area for many years.

The launch received favourable coverage in the Press & Journal, the Herald and the Courier, as well as BBC Good Morning Scotland and STV. It's also been covered on the Scotland National Rural Network website and the SCVO Rural Blog. The Scottish Government news release on Richard Lochhead's speech is here.

The following PowerPoint presentations were delivered at the launch event:

Care Farming Scotland: Progress and Next Steps    download
Professor Bill McKelvey, Scottish Agricultural College

What is Care Farming?    download
Debbie Wilcox, National Care Farming Initiative UK

Cyrenians Care Farm (photo gallery)    download
Richard Frazer, Cyrenians

Farm to Work Project 1    download
Caroline Matheson, Ballicherry Farm

Farm to Work project 1    download
Jamie MacDonald, JobCentre Plus

The work of Trellis    download
Mike Hamilton, Trellis 

 

10 May 2009 

Draft programme for Launch of Care Farming Scotland

The launch of Care Farming Scotland will take place on Tuesday 19 May at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh. Anyone who wishes to come along should get in touch with Adele Thomson on 0131 335 6205 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

More details of the event will be released shortly. Meanwhile here is a draft programme, which is subject to revision:

  
10.30Registration and tea/coffee
  11Welcome and introduction: Martin Robb, Care Farming Scotland Steering Group 
 11.05Keynote speaker: Sir Donald Curry CBE
 11.15What is Care Farming? Chair: David Henderson-Howat
 Care Farming UK
Debbie Wilcox, National Care Farming Initiative
 Farm to Work project
Caroline Matheson, Ballicherry Farm
 Cyrenians Care Farm
Richard Frazer, Cyrenians
  12Care Farming Scotland: progress and next steps: Professor William McKelvey, SAC
12.15Lunch
 1.15

Scottish Government view of Care Farming:
Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs

 1.30Evaluating the benefits of Care Farming. Chair: Sarah Skerratt
 The Farm to Work Project
Jamie MacDonald, JobCentre Plus
 Harvesting the benefits
Speaker from West Mercia Police
 The work of Trellis
Michael Hamilton, Trellis
 The health perspective
Speaker to be confirmed
 2.15Discussion Panel. Chair: Sir Donald Curry
 Debbie Wilcox, Caroline Matheson, Richard Frazer,
Jamie MacDonald, West Mercia Police, Michael Hamilton
 3.15Closing remarks: Martin Robb, Care Farming Scotland Steering Group