Duckyls Farm, part of the charity care provider Diagrama Foundation, has welcomed five new very fluffy residents this June: Roman, Ritchie, Snowflake, Mascot, and Ah-ha, a delightful herd of pedigree white alpacas.
Three of the alpacas have just celebrated their first birthdays, while the other two will mark theirs later this month. The young arrivals are joining two horses, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits and seven goats who are beloved by residents, visitors and staff at the West Sussex-based care centre.
Alpacas are herbivores and primarily eat grass and hay and will love living on the 100 acre farm in West Sussex. Their wool is a perfect choice for people with sensitive skin or allergies and the farm has already had interest from a local spinner
Care Farm and Community Coordinator, Jason Stolton, the farm’s resident fixer and all-around hero, has constructed a movable field shelter to keep the new arrivals cosy and dry. He said, “Bringing the alpacas to Duckyls Farm is part of our ongoing commitment to enriching the lives of the people we support through meaningful connections with nature and animals,”
Duckyls Farms offers a residential care home and a support living service for adults with learning disabilities as well as a ‘Hub and Outreach Support’ day care provision for people with a learning disability, physical and sensory impairment, acquired brain injury and/or autism.
Farm Manager Keri Strugnell said, “Duckyls Farm is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty and allows us to explore the physical, mental and social skills and benefits that working with animals and in nature can offer to people with a learning disability. We already have horses, goats, chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs at the farm and the arrival of the alpacas is already proving to be a huge hit, especially Roman who will come to you and take food from your hand.”
The alpacas will need new halters as they grow, as well as a steady supply of Camelibra supplement and grass pellets to stay happy and healthy and Diagrama Foundation’s Fundraising Officer Zita Whalley would love to connect with people and businesses which might want to support the charity with a regular donation to cover the costs of these. To discuss how you could help email zita.whalley@diagrama.org.uk
If you would like to offer one off support, the team has an Amazon Wishlist which includes items to support the health and happiness of all the farm animals as well as gifts to enrich the lives of everyone who is supported at Duckyls Farm. https://linktr.ee/diagramaamazonwishlist
For more information about Duckyls Farm and Diagrama Foundation’s services, please visit: www.diagramafoundation.org.uk
ENDS
About Diagrama Foundation
Diagrama Foundation is a Kent based charity that supports vulnerable children, young people, and adults to live their best life.
Diagrama has a Supported Living Service across Bromley and Mid Sussex, three homes for adults with learning disabilities in Orpington, an eight-bed care home for adults with learning disabilities in West Sussex with a Community Services Programme a fifty-bed care home for the elderly with nursing and dementia needs in Essex, and a fostering and adoption service in the southeast. Plus, a 100 acre property offering farm and craft day Services cross West Sussex.
- The Supported Living Service, cares for 33 adults with learning disabilities, in seven schemes across Bromley and one scheme in Mid Sussex, helping them to develop skills and confidence to live in their own house either on their own or with others.
- At Cabrini House in Orpington the charity promotes the development of core skills for 23 adults with learning disabilities so that they can lead independent lives integrated within their community.
- Duckyls Farm, a 100 acre residential care home in West Sussex for residents with learning disabilities, allows the charity to explore the physical, mental and social skills and benefits that working with animals and in nature can offer to people with a learning disability.
- Diagrama Day Opportunities operates at Duckyls Farm and across Sussex. This is a day care provision Hub and Outreach Support for people with a learning disability, physical and sensory impairment, acquired brain injury and/or autism.
- The team at their nursing and dementia care home, Edensor Care Centre in Clacton on Sea, support vulnerable residents to live life to the full.
- Diagrama’s voluntary adoption agency and not-for-profit fostering service cares for children who wait the longest for homes in London, Kent, West and East Sussex and Surrey.
Many vulnerable children and adults don’t get the support they need to develop their true potential, but the Diagrama team know that when someone has time and belief invested in them, they come alive, because that investment has made them feel valued and worthy.
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