Supported by the Secure Communities Scheme from Burg-Wächter
Bodster CIC offers therapeutic support for children and adults to help alleviate stress and anxiety and to develop confidence-building learning and communication skills. Set within a farm on the beautiful Isle of Wight, Bodster CIC offers a place of natural calm and tranquillity where visitors are given the time and space to relax and recuperate. From dementia patients to children from deprived areas, Bodster’s visitors benefit from a variety of equine-interaction techniques which help develop awareness, confidence and communication skills. Local school children are also frequent attendees. They learn all about the natural environment, developing nature-based observation and recording techniques as well as getting involved with planting and growing vegetables and creating a wildflower garden.
A new Countryside Course, launched in Autumn 2019 and running until Spring 2020 is now available to local primary and secondary schools. Spread over 10 farm-based sessions, this course provides practical countryside and gardening skills and includes training in positive mindfulness strategies. The course has been made possible with help from a Secure Communities Award providing £500 towards the course plus a farm security kit to help protect visitors and increase overall security across the farm.
The spokesperson for Bodster CIC is Jo Boddington, who commented, “We already have a number of children signed up for the course, but there is plenty of room for more! The children love spending time with the horses and they learn so much at the same time. Without even realising, they find out about body language, respecting boundaries and how to communicate calmly and clearly. Alongside this, the gardening project is all about envisaging the future and investing effort today for benefit tomorrow. This helps the children understand delayed gratification which is a vital life skill. But most of all it is about having fun, discovering the countryside and experiencing the thrill of growing something from a seed to harvesting your own vegetables and flowers.”
The Secure Communities Scheme aims to build and support active and thriving communities. Mark Pearson from Burg-Wächter explained: “A strong local community helps people feel safe as individuals, which is what we aim to achieve as a business. Bodster CIC is helping bring a community together to celebrate the wonders of nature and the positive benefits of spending time in the countryside. We are delighted to be supporting them with their new countryside course.”
Jo Boddington concludes: “We are delighted to receive this support from the Secure Communities Scheme. It has helped pay for the staffing for each of the sessions and contributed toward the cost of our new gardening project. This very practical and useful award has helped us physically and financially secure the course and the farm. We are very grateful to Burg-Wächter for its support”.
Seeking other community projects to support in the South of England.
The Secure Communities Scheme is to be launched across the South of England this winter and is seeking new projects to support. The criteria is simple: that the project is organised by and benefits the local community. A fund of up to £1000 a month is available and awards are made based on the potential for positive local impact. Priority will be given to applications of £500. In addition, successful applicants also benefit from security advice in relation to their project or activity including up to £150 worth of free product.
Besides supporting education endeavours, rural initiatives, and fund-raising projects, the Secure Communities Scheme is open to communities undertaking maintenance or refurbishment projects relating to property or open spaces. This could involve allotments, common areas, village halls, sports fields or activity centres. Community events and activities are also eligible for anything from school breakfast clubs to food banks or firework displays to fun runs.
Mark Pearson from Burg-Wächter commented: “We are known for our safes and postboxes alongside our extensive range of locking products. We regularly receive requests for products to support charitable and community causes. The Secure Communities Scheme enables us to formalise and scale up our charitable and community support so that it reaches a wider audience. We hope that the Bodster project will be the springboard for more applications from across the South of England.
More information on the awards can be found at www.burg.biz/uk/community/.
More information on Bodster CIC can be found at www.eaqbodster.co.uk.