Sunfield Childrens Home receives grant from Country Land and Business Association Charitable Trust

A charity based in the West Midlands has received a much needed boost from the Country Land and Business Association Charitable Trust (CLACT).

The CLACT is primarily funded through subscriptions and donations from CLA members, an organisation that represents nearly 26,000 farmers, landowners, and rural businesses. Its mission is to support charities dedicated to connecting disabled or disadvantaged individuals with the countryside.

With there sometimes being limited opportunities to get children out in the countryside, Sunfield Children’s Home encourages its students to experience the countryside and where their food comes from while at school.

Supporting children aged 6 to 18 with learning disabilities, the school engages students in hands-on activities that connect them with nature. Students work with natural materials like clay and wool, and participate in activities such as sheep shearing, gaining valuable experience in animal husbandry. Emphasising biodynamic, organic farming, the school fosters a seed-to-table food production system, encouraging students to learn the entire process of growing and preparing food.

The grant received from the CLACT will allow Sunfield to relocate their current farm to a new site, allowing them to create new ecofriendly structures, create accessible footpaths and put in place more raised beds for growing, as well as purchase variety of plants and fruit trees.

Senior Fundraiser for Sunfield Children’s school, Paul Deakin said “The support of the CLACT is enabling us to create a space where the children we have here at Sunfield can explore the outdoors freely, and make positive contributions to society.

“By moving the animal barns closer to the younger children, we can give them the tools they need for later in life, how to care for something, how to nurture, how to regulate their physical movements and emotions.

“The children are involved in everything we do and take pride in watching a seed grow into a plant, the plant then grow into a fruit and then that fruit be eaten or given to someone else.

“We cannot wait for the whole project to be finished, so we can share our wonderful new learning environment with the members of the CLACT.”