Charity begins at home - Vana Trust in the UK

Background to why we set up Vana Organic Therapeutic Farm

In the year 2000, I read an article about how working the earth, for example gardening, healed adults with emotional and mental health difficulties, and I thought this idea might work for children. This was my own experience of taking out some children in London to my personal allotment. I thought children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties might be helped with this form of therapy.

In July 2003 I moved from London to a house with seven acres on the border of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. I visited the nearby Bridewell Organic Gardens, which was set up by Paul Tompkinson. Following this I really formulated my idea that a therapeutic farm was a worthwhile project in relation to children.  About this time, Bridewell appointed Jenny Tricker and Sue Taylor,

who were seconded by Oxfordshire Mental Health Team, as development workers. These two workers helped me to develop the idea of a therapeutic project using the agricultural field at the back of my house. We met every six weeks until June 2005.

Through these meetings we decided to set up an organic therapeutic farm project under the Vana Trust charity. We amended the aims and objectives to include the farm project, and this was granted by The Charity Commission.

I really like the link between the two projects within Vana Trust because it is all about supporting disadvantaged children and their families and they do say charity begins at home!!