Leitrim Development Company invite you to attend a seminar on “Social Farming” in the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon on Thursday 23^rd July at 6.00pm.

Social Farming (also known as ‘Green Care’ and ‘Care Farming’) is based on the recognition that working with animals, plants and the earth and being out in the natural environment has special value for people’s health and wellbeing. Social farming offers the opportunity to spend time on farms and in the countryside whether that is on the basis of improving quality of life or for specific therapeutic or occupational purposes.

In Ireland there is extensive usage of horticulture, agriculture and animal assisted therapies as part of specific supports to vulnerable people but also as a means to promote positive health among the wider populace. These services are generally offered within the overall structure of an institutional service.

Following recent trends in Europe there is scope to develop Social Farming further in Ireland and in particular in the North West so the Leitrim Development Company and University College Dublin plan to explore this further with assistance from an Enterprise Ireland, Innovation Voucher.

Social Farming can benefit farmers, people with disabilities or mental health issues and their carers and their representative organisations, service providers, health and therapy professionals and organisations, and a range of other organisations such as HSE, Teagasc, FAS, IFA, ICSA etc

The seminar will run as following:

• Introduction  Brian Smyth, Leitrim Development Company,
• SoFar Project (Social Farming) – UCD, Aideen McGloin, Dr Deidre O’Connor
• Gerry Browne – Social Farmer and Marian Keigher – Brothers of Charity
• Debbie Wilcox – National Care Farming Initiative Co-ordinator UK
• Questions and answers

A Social farming in action DVD presentation and refreshments will follow

Please contact Adrian Mc Keague, Rural Development Officer, Smallholder Programme, Leitrim Development Company, on 071 9641770 if you have any queries.