Opening up the countryside to the communtiy

11:41am Saturday 4th October 2008

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A HEREFORDSHIRE farm opened up its gates as part of a special open day.

Ment4Work, set up by Powys Sense Ltd, provides work tasters, work experience placements and rural craft courses at local farms.

The open day at Stalls Farm, Bartestree, saw people with mental health problems, learning difficulties and other disadvantages learn about what life is like working on a farm.

Trevor Stringer, co-ordinator of the project, said: "I was rather disappointed with the turnout, but the people who did show up were really positive about the venue and five organisations have already expressed an interest in sending people on our courses."

The project, funded by Rural Community First Nexus Grant, offers courses in four key skills areas - horse care, dry stone walling, hedging and fencing - with the latter due to start in three weeks.

l Meanwhile, an open day in Herefordshire woods was held for teenagers to learn coppicing and woodlands management.

The event, held in Little Birch, was organised by the Wye Wood Project, a charity which works with vulnerable adults and young people from a number of agencies.

Professionals from health and education agencies saw youngsters aged 14-16 take part in the charity's Live and Learn programme, which started in September last year and will finish in July.

"The day went really well," said Kate Tudge, partnership officer for Herefordshire Sustain Project.

"About 50 people turned up and many agencies have already expressed interest in sending their clients onto our courses."

The charity, funded by Herefordshire Primary Care Trust and Lloyds TSB Trust, runs other programmes in the county, including Walking for Health, which consists of 16 walks in Herefordshire, and woodland activities for vulnerable families in Leominster and the South Wye.