Growing Well is good for you, wherever you are heading.
By Beren Aldridge, 30 October 2012 –
In the last few weeks one of our volunteers has moved on from Growing Well in his bid to break into Cumbrian farming. With the support of members of the local farming community, he has been getting some livestock experience before beginning some training at Newton Rigg College. Fingers crossed all this work will pay off and he will be accepted for a farming apprenticeship programme in early 2013.
Surprisingly only a few of our volunteers use their experience at Growing Well to move into horticulture or agriculture. In the main, our team members use the experience of working with us to develop the transferable skills necessary to apply for posts in areas of work that meet their diverse interests and skills.
Even when volunteers get involved in our training courses, they are normally engaging in the training to test themselves in a new environment, to enjoy the process of studying (perhaps for the first time) or to make new friends.
Whenever we show a prospective volunteer around the farm, we always stress that Growing Well offers a welcoming community in which to build confidence and to feel more well. What people do with their gains in confidence and wellbeing is really down to them.
So as winter approaches, it's as good a time as any to get involved with the activities of Growing Well, or to be thinking about putting people you know in touch with us. We are always busy, and our volunteers are always busy growing well.