Spend a day down on the farm

Little Gate Farm has 42 acres of pasture and ancient woodland. It is also a charity which supports adults and children with learning disabilities.

The learning disabled ‘Rangers’ look after the sheep, lambs, goats, alpacas, horses, chickens and pigs. They also grow fruit, vegetables and flowers.

As a charity, Little Gate Farm aims to improve the lives of learning disabled adults in East Sussex and Kent by giving them training and helping them find employment.

The working farm programme increases self-confidence and employment skills needed to go onto paid employment opportunities in our local community.

Battle MP Huw Merriman, backed the project, which was set up a year ago, commenting: “I recently spent an afternoon with the team at Little Gate Farm and was hugely impressed by the professionalism of the management and voluntary team and the opportunities for change offered to the vulnerable young people and adults who rely on the farm as a bridge into employment.

“At a time when there is much emphasis on giving all people a job who want it, I feel it vital to improve the prospects for those who need additional training and skills in the workplace in order to succeed in a job. I fully support Little Gate Farm.”

The farm will be open to the public from 11am on Sunday June 7. Entry is free but the Little Gate Farm team will be raising money for the charity by selling tea, cake and beer.

There will be live music from The Cajun Dawgs in the newly finished barn and the opportunity to meet some birds of prey. There will also be Bushcraft School and Stories in the woods for younger visitors.

Little Gate Farm relies on a team of dedicated volunteers and always needs more people to get involved.

If you would like to volunteer to look after the animals or help with fundraising, support the Learning Disabled Rangers or help in the office you may be interested in coming along to a Volunteer Taster Day at 10.30am on Saturday. June 6 where you can learn more about the farm and how you can help.

The farm is based at Horseshoe Lane, Beckley, www. littlegatecarefarm.co.uk.

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