The Stepping into Nature team, led by the Dorset National Landscape Partnership, has made significant strides in connecting people with disabilities to the countryside. Supported by a grant of £101,286 from the Dorset Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme, the initiative opened up new opportunities for adults with disabilities to explore and understand the farming environment in Dorset.
The 18-month project, which began in Autumn 2023, facilitated farm visits for community groups of people living with health conditions and additional support needs. Farmers received fully funded training through the CEVAS course and one-to-one support to ensure high-quality, safe, and enjoyable visits. This training enabled farmers to confidently welcome visitors to their working farms, broadening access to the countryside.
Overall 26 visits were carried out with 11 different community groups to 5 farms. Activities included baking bread and soup, building nest boxes, learning about the farm machinery and grain store, visiting the baby lambs and calves, feeding the sheep and touring the farms on tractor/trailer.
Feedback from the groups has been overwhelmingly positive.
The Dorset Deaf group told us, “‘For prelingually deaf people who are not able to reliably follow English in any format, a visit tailored to allow for their needs is essential. The farmer made everything possible, he provided clear visual prompts, he gave them extra time to fully understand and ask multiple questions. This client group have a lust for learning, but this is not readily accessible to them due to the language barrier. However, on this occasion there were no barriers and the result of which was clear to see by all involved.”
The Breaking Barriers; Farm Visits project has positively impacted the lives of people with disabilities and health conditions in Dorset. By connecting them with the farming environment and providing support through trained farmers and volunteers, the project has fostered a sense of community and improved mental health and wellbeing. The success of this initiative underscores the importance of making nature accessible to everyone and sets the stage for future projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life for those in need.
Kate Townsend, Stepping into Nature Project Coordinator, shared the project’s long term ambition to create a Nature Buddy Network across Dorset from Spring 2025. “Thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund we are setting up a new network of volunteers trained to support individuals with anxiety, low confidence or loneliness to access nature on a one-to-one basis. Nature Buddy volunteers will motivate and support people to enjoy local parks and gardens, access activities or simply observe wildlife from their window.”
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