A pioneering rural education centre that\u2019s transforming the lives of unemployed people and youngsters excluded from school is expanding its reach into new areas.<\/p>\n
The Agri-cation centre near Bangor-on-Dee in North Wales has been hailed for achieving \u201clife-changing\u201d results with support from animal bedding firm Platts Agriculture helping to drive its growth.<\/p>\n
Based on a working family farm, the project teaches practical life and employability skills to those facing barriers to jobs or training, with many responding\u00a0 far better than in traditional school or college settings.<\/p>\n
Run by Cheryl Reeves and a small team, the initiative blends hands-on farm work with tailored support, helping participants rebuild confidence, enabling them to move into jobs, apprenticeships or further education.<\/p>\n
If funding allows, it\u2019s hoped to expand the service into Flintshire, Cheshire and Shropshire.<\/p>\n
According to Cheryl, the backing of Platts Agriculture has been crucial to the growth and development of Agri-cation.<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s support for the group is part of the reason Platts won the prestigious Made a Difference Award at the West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce\u2019s annual recognition awards.<\/p>\n
Cheryl established Agri-cation in 2020 and it supported more than 1,000 people last year from all parts of the community.<\/p>\n
Participants are funded and referred to the group by councils, charities, and the Department for Work and Pension, and come from a wide area including Llangollen, Corwen and Rhyl.<\/p>\n
Cheryl said getting out in the fresh air, opening up about their struggles and helping to care for the farm\u2019s cows, goats, chickens and sheep had proved transformative for people out of work and youngsters excluded from school because of disruptive behaviour.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people who come here predominantly learn about farming, but we also try to do social skills and life skills with them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of the youngsters who are referred here don\u2019t know how to behave with their peer group so it is about working on their manners, how they interact with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that is so important – if you were going to seek employment, how you behave, your body language, is vital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we do here makes a huge difference to the people we help, it gives them purpose, and once they have that purpose, they get so much more confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been successful in getting people into the world of work, people who have gone on to apprenticeships, people who have gone onto college, and people who have just been able to go on to\u00a0 live independently.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have become more resilient, they are able to get out into the big wide world and not feel so anxious about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Platts featured Agri-cation in its Shout About Farming campaign which celebrates the impact of farming on local economies and communities.<\/p>\n
The firm also selected Agri-cation as its charity of choice when it sponsored the Wrexham Business and Community Awards, resulting in a percentage of the night\u2019s proceeds being donated to the group.<\/p>\n
And Platts is supporting Agri-cation in the promotion of events and initiatives, including promoting them on social media, featuring them in internal staff newsletters and networking together.<\/p>\n
Cheryl said: \u201cPlatts have been so good at championing the work that we are doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have financially helped us, and Caroline Platt, the managing director, is a great mentor, and is helping us to connect and introduce us to other businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was wonderful that Caroline supported us by choosing us as their nominated charity of choice at the Wrexham Business and Community Awards and that gained us valuable revenue.”<\/p>\n
For her part, Caroline Platt is a big fan Agri-cation.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0 said: \u201cThe work done here is transformational, it is genuinely changing people\u2019s lives and having a massive impact on our society.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it just needs more and more funding, and I would encourage every business to get involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got involved because agriculture in general is not given the recognition it deserves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we started our Shout About Farming campaign two years ago, and we featured Agri-cation in that campaign along with lots of other agriculture supply chain businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgri-cation gives people education about agriculture, food, nature and just the basics of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need more organisations like Agri-cation and more businesses to get involved in these initiatives, it is about collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n
While programmes at Agri-cation can last six weeks, some of the people who attend come for months to build up their confidence and resilience.<\/p>\n
Others who are socially isolated learn basic skills such as cooking, while therapists are on-hand during each session to support Agri-cation in its work.<\/p>\n
The site also hosts educational visits for schools and colleges.<\/p>\n
Cheryl said she had plans in place to expand the services Agri-cation provides.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cWe are now a King\u2019s Trust supplier, so we can now do qualifications through the King\u2019s Trust through modules such as nature skills, woodwork or agricultural qualifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking to expand the site, we want to develop a hub where people can come for therapy, or they can rent the space and use it for what they need.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to do more outreach, we are not hitting enough of the community that I would like to.<\/p>\n
Andy Reeves said: \u201cWhen people are here doing something they enjoy they are more inclined to talk and share their feelings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are more relaxed on the farm, it doesn\u2019t have the pressure of a school environment for example, they have that opportunity to expend their energy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have kids here who don\u2019t fit into the school environment, we normally have three or four of them at once.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen they come and they see the purpose behind what they are doing – they are basically told \u2018if we don\u2019t feed the animal, it dies\u2019 – it gives them a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n