Farm visits project improves health and well-being
YES – This is one reason why farming is important. I have been involved with a charity for years which supports people with learning difficulties in a farm setting. It is one of the most inspirational places I have ever been involved with (www.landmarks.co.uk). This article adds more flesh to the bones of what I think I already knew but may be of interest to readers. It tells us:
The health of the nation is in farming’s hands, not simply thanks to the nourishment that comes from quality food, but in terms of the emotional well-being that can come from being on the land. Debbie Beaton reports
If every household in Britain was given access to green space it would save £2.1bn in health costs, according to Gregor Henderson from Public Health England.
“Farming is a major influence in the health of the nation, beyond simply delivering good food. Farming is a dynamic process that through its activities and interactions with the environment gives people a sense of purpose and well-being,” he adds.
Evidence of this has been born out in the Let Nature Feed Your Senses (LNFYS) project over the past four years. This is a joint LEAF and Sensory Trust project funded by a £25m lottery grant managed by Natural England’s Access to Nature programme, with organisations such as Syngenta and Children in Need providing match-funding.
The impact on the farmer-hosts and the visitors has been equally uplifting (see panel). LNFYS has worked with 72 farms to host more than 14,000 adults and children with a range of physical and social disadvantages.