Goats, calves, chickens and more gave 24 excited children from Bethany School in Bournemouth a day to remember. Their day out, at Longdown Activity Farm in the New Forest, was organised by Variety Wessex as part of the Variety the Children’s Charity Great Days Out scheme that aims to give disadvantaged children positive experiences. During the day each child had the chance of assisting Farmer Brian, who runs Longdown Farm, in leading the group and helping give out bottles of milk, goat food and demonstrating how to hold the hens.

The morning started with the children giving a group of hungry adult goats their breakfast. They held out plates of special food that the goats thoroughly enjoyed eating. The group moved on to bottle feed very young calves and kid goats. The children were given instruction of how to hold the bottles of milk up high so the milk flowed through the bottle teats properly. It didn’t take long for all the milk to be finished and the bottles returned to be washed ready for another group of visitors.

The day also included collecting chicken and duck eggs and the chance to hold a live chicken. Although some children were a little cautious, most managed to hold a hen, learning how to keep the wings closed while gently stroking the soft feathers.

Feeding the calves.

Liz Rawson-Jones, Pastoral Lead at Bethany CE Junior School, said:

Thank you Frances and Variety for giving our children such a wonderful time at Longdown Farm. They get so much from the visits and love being “The Farmer”. Farmer Brian is really good at encouraging the children and giving them that little bit of extra confidence.
Please pass our thanks to Shan and the Bournemouth Boys Club for their never-ending love and support that they give to us here at Bethany.

Frances Cornelius, chair of Variety Wessex, said:

Thank you Farmer Brian and everyone at Longdown Farm for giving these deserving children such a fabulous experience. Thank you too Laguna Coaches for safe and efficient travel and, of course, Shan and the Bournemouth Boys Club for funding this wonderful day to remember for our Bethany children. Really we can’t thank you enough.

Farmer Brian introducing one of the hens to a slightly cautious Bethany Pupil.
Delighted children holding chickens.