Paddington Farm Trust provides opportunities for young people from disadvantaged urban areas to experience rural life. Youth groups stay in our converted farmhouse, or sometimes camp in our meadows and orchards, and get involved in the day-to-day life of the farm.
Depending on the time of year, they might help with lambing, apple picking and juicing, vegetable planting, weeding or hay making, and of course there are always animals to be fed and cared for. For many of these young people, a trip to Paddington Farm is the first time they have ever patted a horse, made a fire, seen the starry night skies or eaten fruit straight from the tree.
These residentials have a huge impact on participants, helping to develop greater confidence, resilience, communication and team working skills, as well as encouraging them to develop a love of nature and a greater understanding of sustainability. 80% of youth group leaders report a significant positive impact and 20% a slight positive impact on young people’s confidence, self-regulation and behaviour following a visit to Paddington Farm, whilst 83% report significant improvements in young people’s mental health.
Many youth groups come back year after year, but we are happy to hear from any youth leaders interested in bringing their group to experience the farm.
Our regular youth groups include London-based environmental education charity Nature Vibezzz – click this link to see photos and videos they’ve shared from their recent visit. We also have a long term partnership with Paddington Arts, which helps young people in and around Paddington to develop life skills and leadership abilities through creative activities. Here’s a video they made of their experiences at Paddington Farm:
Whilst Paddington Farm was originally set up to work with disadvantaged children and families from urban areas, we do also welcome local children, young people and the wider local community to visit the farm and take part in seasonal activities. We regularly host work experience placements, plus scout and guides camping trips and school holiday activities. If you are a group leader and would like to find out about bringing your group to Paddington Farm, please contact us.
Our youth activities run alongside a programme of family-friendly community events, including our very popular Family Festival, run in partnership with local arts education charity Children’s World.
To find out about our community events and activities, head over to our What’s On page.