As temperatures continue to rise across the country, the team at Duckyls Farm Community Services in Sussex is going the extra mile to ensure every animal on the farm stays safe, comfortable and cool during the hot weather.
The dedicated staff have been starting their days much earlier to complete jobs before the hottest part of the day. During the day, they have been joined by the service users to hose down the horses to help them stay cool, filled a paddling pool with water from a large water trough for the alpacas to enjoy, prepared chilled fresh vegetables for the rabbits and guinea pigs, and made vegetable ice cubes to give the chickens a refreshing summer treat.
The team has also increased access to fresh drinking water throughout the day, provided plenty of shaded areas for animals to rest, and avoided unnecessary handling during the hottest hours. Small animal hutches are positioned in shaded areas with good ventilation and are covered with damp towels where appropriate to help keep temperatures down, while ensuring air can still circulate freely.
The farm is also reminding pet owners to take extra care during periods of hot weather. Dogs should only be walked early in the morning or later in the evening when temperatures are cooler, fresh water should always be available, and owners should never leave animals in parked vehicles, even for a short time. Small pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs should be kept out of direct sunlight, with frozen water bottles wrapped in towels or cooling mats used to help regulate temperatures safely.
Keri Strugnell, Care and Community Manager at Duckyls Farm Community Services, said: “The welfare of our animals is always our highest priority. During hot weather, everyone pulls together to make sure every animal receives the extra care they need. It’s wonderful to see the people we support taking such an active role in caring for the animals, learning about their needs and helping keep them healthy, happy and comfortable throughout the summer.”
One of the people supported at 100 acre Duckyls Farm, who has a learning disability, said: “I like helping the animals stay cool. My favourite job is giving the horses a hose down and making the vegetable ice cubes for the chickens. It makes me happy because I know the animals feel better when it’s really hot.”
Duckyls Farm Community Services provides meaningful opportunities for people with learning disabilities to develop skills, confidence and independence through caring for a wide range of animals and taking part in day-to-day farm life. The current spell of warm weather has become another opportunity for everyone to work together, learn about responsible animal care and ensure every animal enjoys a safe and comfortable summer.
To find out more about Duckyls Farm visit www.diagramacommunity.org.uk
If you’d like to support 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.
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.
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