Chailey Heritage Foundation

In 2023 the Ernest Kleinwort Charitable Trust provided funding for Chailey Heritage Foundation’s therapeutic riding service and care farm. The funding will enable over 200 children and young people with complex disabilities and health needs to benefit from these facilities throughout the year. All these young people are wheelchair users and have a learning disability or difficulty; many have sensory impairment and few of them communicate verbally.

“Our mission is to give disabled children and young people every opportunity to pursue their fullest potential.”

Patchwork Farm, with its 50 resident goats, pigs and other animals, is a specially designed therapeutic care farm. The young people enjoy feeding, petting and grooming the animals as well as growing flowers and vegetables in raised beds. The farm is fully wheelchair-accessible and even has remote-operated devices for the children to feed the pigs. The farm encourages the young people to communicate, be more relaxed in unfamiliar environments through exposure to new sights and sounds, and helps reduce anxiety and frustration.