Newlands Bishop Farm Solihull

Newlands Bishop Farm (NBF) has been developed to give people with learning disabilities and mental health problems the opportunity to learn work based skills.

This is provided through our unique work experiences in horticulture, woodwork, gardening, horse care/riding, catering and retail and animal husbandry.

Since 2002 when the project joined the Family Care Trust, the farm has developed significantly. There is now a modern barn where machinery is stored, as well as housing a woodworking unit. In 2008 NBF were awarded a grant to build the stable block and have since been awarded a Riding Establishment Permit that will allow the development of a riding school. A new building, opened in late 2011, includes a training kitchen and café to provide service users with the opportunity to gain commercial catering/retail skills and qualifications.

Since 2005 NBF have had a partnership with Birmingham Metropolitan College to provide opportunities for our project workers to gain qualifications in ICT and numeracy/literacy. In 2009 NBF were awarded an Excellence Star Award from the college for our
outstanding service to training and development of the service users. In 2014 we joined up with Solihull College to offer City and Guilds skills for working life in either horticulture or animal care at the farm. It has been a massive success and the project workers are now able to work towards a certificate in the practical skills they carry out at the farm on a regular basis.

NBF has many partnerships with local organisations who often attend to help with our farm work or take part in outdoor education activities, using the fields, woods, pond or the Forest School sites.