Press releases 2007

Ark Farm opens its gates to the public for Alabaré

11th June 2007

Ark Farm at Old Wardour near Tisbury has opened its gates to the public, raising hundreds of pounds for Alabaré Christian Care Centres.

Owner, Mr Edmund Neville-Rolfe, hosted an Open Garden on Sunday 9th June.

Visitors spent the afternoon strolling around the impressive water and woodland gardens, enjoyed afternoon tea in the sunshine and had the chance to buy a few things for their own gardens from the plant stall.

Mr Neville-Rolfe also put on an exhibition of his paintings and generously donated a beautiful watercolour to Alabaré.

Mr Neville-Rolfe moved to Ark Farm with his family in 1951 when there was scarcely any garden at all.  Over the last five decades it has evolved into the water and woodland garden that it is today.

It is hoped that over £400 was raised through the event, which will go towards the Barford Countryside Unit (BCU), one of Alabaré’s more rural projects.

BCU is based in an old farmyard building in Barford St Martin and is a training facility for clients with a variety of support needs.  It has an IT suite, a woodwork workshop, kitchen facilities, a pottery barn, a textile workshop and a horticultural project.  Clients can undertake skills training, personal development and vocational courses which are accredited by the National Proficiency Test Council.

But it was not just the BCU that benefited from the Open Garden at Ark Farm, the left over sandwiches and cakes were taken away for the service users at another of Alabaré’s projects to enjoy!

-Ends-

Notes to editors

Alabaré Christian Care Centres is a regional charity, providing a range of services including supported housing, floating support services, drop-in centres, information, advice and training services and a registered care home.  The charity works with the homeless, ex-offenders, young people, individuals with a learning difficulty, vulnerable women and people with drug and alcohol problems, aiming to assist them with realising their potential and becoming valued members of society.

www.alabare.co.uk