Diagrama Foundation has received a grant from the East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd to help purchase vital new equipment for Duckyls Farm in East Grinstead, which supports adults with a learning disability, autism, acquired brain injury or physical and sensory impairments.
The funding has been used towards the purchase of a Hyundai Mini Dumper Power Barrow, which will help people attending Diagrama Community Services at Duckyls Farm take a more active and independent role in day-to-day farm activities.
Nearly 30 adults attend the service each week, taking part in structured programmes that include animal care, growing produce, land management, cooking, crafts and woodworking. These activities are designed to build confidence, develop practical skills and improve wellbeing through meaningful hands-on work in a rural environment.
The new motorised barrow will replace the use of a manual wheelbarrow for many tasks around the farm, including transporting compost, soil, tools and clearing manure from fields. Duckyls Farm’s heavy clay soil and uneven terrain can make pushing a loaded wheelbarrow physically difficult, particularly for people with mobility issues, reduced strength or balance difficulties.
By reducing the physical demands of these tasks, the new equipment will enable more people to participate directly in farming activities safely and independently, rather than relying on staff assistance.
Keri Strugnell, Care Farm and Community Manager for Diagrama Community Services at Duckyls Farm said: “We are incredibly grateful to the East Grinstead Memorial Estate for supporting this project. The power barrow will make a huge difference to the people who attend our services by removing barriers to participation and helping them gain greater independence and confidence through practical farm work.”
Phil Martin, Grants and Donations, East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd said: “The projects undertaken at Duckyls Farm are clearly helping many in our community in and around East Grinstead. As a local charity ourselves, we felt Diagrama ticked all the boxes in terms of the type of community-based groups we aim to support and the very practical nature of the funding request. East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd is delighted to be able to contribute to the purchase of a motorised wheelbarrow, which promises to be a super addition to the farm.”
Duckyls Farm, based on Selsfield Road near East Grinstead, is part of Diagrama Foundation, a UK-registered charity that supports vulnerable people to live fulfilling and independent lives through care, support and community-based services.
Alongside its day opportunities programme, Duckyls Farm also includes residential and supported living services for adults with learning disabilities.
To find out more about Duckyls Farm visit www.diagramacommunity.org.uk
If you’d like to support the Community Services at Duckyls Farm, you can help by purchasing an item from their Amazon Wishlist: https://linktr.ee/diagramaamazonwishlist. Every contribution, big or small, helps enhance the daily lives of the people we support.
ENDS
About the East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd
The East Grinstead Memorial Estate Ltd supports local groups with financial grants to worthwhile projects which benefit all parts of our community.
About Diagrama Community Services at Duckyls Farm
Diagrama Community Services, which operates at Duckyls Farm, is for people with a learning disability, physical and sensory impairment, acquired brain injury and/or autism.
The Community Services provide a choice of meaningful, enjoyable occupational opportunities and activities, supporting people to develop skills that, promote independence, transfer to employment and be used in their daily lives.
The life skills activities include looking after farm animals, growing vegetables, fruit and flowers, making bird boxes and hedgehog houses, repairing and maintaining fences, cooking, painting, drawing, online safety and managing money.
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, 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.
