A RALLYING call has gone out for Worcester residents to vote for a popular training centre for young people and adults with learning difficulties to win funding for a new workshop.
Wildgoose Rural Training, a care farm based in Holt Heath, has for the past 17 years been providing meaningful opportunities for young people who find school a challenge and also for adults with learning difficulties.
The popular venue has recently acquired an old quarry site that has become a haven for wildlife and Wildgoose now wants to develop the site for the benefit of Worcester residents.
The Heritage Lottery fund has recently granted the facility a stage one development grant to help towards the building of a community visitor centre.
However, Wildgoose staff also need to relocate the successful care farm to the new site as their current lease is coming to an end. One of the key activities the training centre offers is teaching its members traditional and modern woodworking skills based at its workshop on the care farm.
Currently about 25 disabled adults use the facility everyday along with many local schools that send students and small groups to make use of the care farm’s activities.
Wildgoose is hoping to re-establish the popular wood workshop at their new site, but they need to raise funds to make this a reality.
Staff at the training centre are now urging as many Worcester residents as possible to vote for Wildgoose Rural Training to win a slice of funding from the Aviva Community Fund.
Sharon Gayle, Development Officer at Wildgoose Rural Training, said: “In a society where fresh air, practical skills and family time is being replaced with screens, virtual reality and TV dinners we believe that what we offer here at Wildgoose is massive benefit to many people and we hope that Aviva customers will also see that benefit and vote for our project.
“We hope that together we can help to get this project underway and once again create a working space that is educational, therapeutic and welcoming for students from all backgrounds and abilities.”
To vote for the centre visit www.community-fund.aviva.co.uk. The deadline for voting is Tuesday, November 21.
