Five weeks to reach £30,000: Bath City Farm fundraiser launches
The funds will help them care for animals and maintain the farm as the cost of living crisis hits
Today (November 1), Bath City Farm starts its latest crowdfunding campaign - and are hoping to raise £30,000 in time for Christmas.
It's all happening, with the cost of living crisis being the backdrop as we head into the winter.
The Farm is finding demand for its services has never been higher since the Covid pandemic, and it needs to raise money to cover running costs, to maintain and grow services as well as keep the site free at the point of access - which volunteers and staff members say is a must for a service which helps people across the city.
The animals play a vital role in the targeted therapeutic work with participants of the Farm’s health and wellbeing programmes. For many, the Farm is a place to recover from acute mental distress and rebuild a healthier lifestyle, connecting with nature and each other.
The money raised would pay for core costs such as staff to manage the farm site, rising energy costs, animal care costs such as bedding, food and vet bills and maintaining the site for the 42,000 people who visit the farm each year.
The Farm is a free resource for many families on a low income to spend a day out with children, to experience and meet farm animals and access vital green space. Visitors can also enjoy the nature trails around the 37-acre site, ponds, and children’s play areas, all of which cost money to maintain, for example upkeeping safe pathways and gardening the grounds and flower beds.
Farm Director Brendan Tate Wistreich said: "It is vital that we raise this £30,000 to care for our animals and maintain the Farm site over the next year. The money will cover vet bills, animal food, bedding and shelter as well as rising energy costs and funding the staff who make this place possible. Our beautiful site attracts around 42,000 people each year and they can visit the Farm free of charge with no admission fee, your support makes this possible.
This is a tough time for charities and many others, but we ask for those that can, to reach into your pockets and support us through this challenging time so that we can continue to be able to support those most affected by the current crises and keep this beautiful place open for those from Bath and beyond."
Bath City Farm recently launched a new Roots to Work programme, providing work experience opportunities for people needing support to enter the jobs market to help them to build skills and confidence. It is also looking to increase the amount of food grown on site to be sold in their new café and farm shop.
The farm has recently launched a new free under 5’s group for local families and a programme for young people who require an alternative to mainstream education. With support they can sustain and grow these vital services and meet increased need in a challenging time for communities.
Alison Howell, Communication and Development Lead at Bath City Farm, said: "We need to care for our animals and pay for things like vet bills and bedding and food, and we need to also keep the site free at the point of access for visitors.
"It's a much loved and much needed part of the local community and we're keen to keep it free to visit. We're keen to continue to care for our animals on the farm, our ponies, our ducks, our pigs, our chickens, our lovely pigmy goats and of course to do that, it does take money and it does take funds. So we are really appealing for people to donate what they can afford to and help support us and help help us over the next year.
"I think it's so important because there are growing numbers of people who are affected by mental health issues and we've seen that since the pandemic, and the farm is a place where often it's a first point of call for those people with mental health issues. It might be things like bipolar or schizophrenia, or it might be people that have been bereaved and are struggling with that bereavement.
"Our farm is an amazing place where these people can come. They can get out in the fresh air, they can care for the animals, they can do some gardening and they can forget about the worries and the issues that are in their minds. It's an amazing resource and that's also an amazing place where families can come free of charge and spend the day and get close to nature, and learn about farming.
"It's a wonderful place, Bath City farm."
To visit their website and to find out more about the fundraiser click here.