The farm’s HOOF (Helping Out On the Farm) team – a group of adults with additional needs who have placements at the farm – have been awarded £3000 in funding from the Mencap Positive Changes project, a group also made up of adults with additional needs. The funds will go towards new recycling units for the farm.
On Tuesday 22nd November, the team presented their bid, first giving the Mencap group a guided tour to explain the work that they do, before delivering their presentation complete with PowerPoint slides and posters they had prepared.
Royal Mencap’s Positive Changes group, who made the decision, is made up of volunteers with learning disabilities who are responsible for the allocation of £15,000 worth of funding before March 2023.
Matt Bellbrough, Community Partner at Royal Mencap, said “The Positive Changes volunteers loved spending the day with the HOOF team at MVUF. They got the chance to explore the farm and see all the work that is going on.
“Following this, the HOOF team did an excellent presentation for some of the funding that the Positive Changes group are responsible for. The HOOF team had worked really hard on it, and that hard work really impressed the group.
“The Positive Changes group voted with a 100% majority to give the funding for bins across the farm. They are really excited to come back and see the farm once they are in place!”
The HOOF team are delighted with the decision. One of the team’s responsibilities is emptying the farm’s bins and the new units will make it easier to sort waste effectively.