New therapy farm will help with mental health issues

by Mal Butler

A new therapy farm, aiming to specialise in helping the local community by eco-farming, keeping animals and bees, and growing fruit and veg, is being started in Porchfield.

Pigsty Farm CIC, in Porchfield, is looking to help ex-forces, disadvantaged families and young adults in a friendly and stress-free environment. The farm, set in 17 acres, two of which are woodland backing onto Parkhurst Forest, is owned by Tony Gear and his partner, Becky, who are ex-military with 58 years service between them. Tony said: “We also aim to provide services to Island residents with counselling, and signposting to different agencies taking some weight off the local authorities.”

Tony is employed part-time by Veterans Outreach Support (VOS), and also volunteers with the Armed Forces Charity, SSAFA, while Becky is now full-time at the farm after years of working with children and SSAFA. He added: “We are also excited to introduce Sam Carter-Knight, our dynamic project manager, whose expertise in business management, fitness, counselling, and farming, will take this venture forward.

“For the last 18 months we have been combatting loneliness for ex-military personnel through group activities, with a hot cup of coffee, great company and cake, and (of course) bacon sandwiches.

“However, Pigsty can cater for an array of activities and will be sculptured to need – walk and talk, picnics, feed piggies, painting, fitness, barbecues, bee-keeping and camping.

“In the future, we hope to have alpaca walking, guided animal care, horticulture teaching, animal husbandry and continuing expert advice in self-care, and improving mental health.

“Our first animals have recently arrived, three piglets who live naturally in the woods and we hope to get some other animals and poultry soon.

“Pigsty Farm volunteers are passionate about improving mental health on the Island and are asking organisations to use this land and tell us their needs and we will endeavour to meet them.” For more information: email: Info@pigstyfarm.org.uk.