A community project led by Aberdeenshire Council to create a unique resource that feeds local families and provides an inclusive project for people with learning disabilities will launch this weekend at Banff Castle.
Date:
Thu, 27 Oct 2011
Source:
Aberdeenshire Council
Aberdeenshire Council:
website
The Banff Community Chicken Project is holding a party to celebrate three months of hard work setting up and establishing the initiative and proceedings will start at 3pm with a welcome from Aberdeenshire Provost Bill Howatson who said:
“This is a unique and very worthwhile project that has so many benefits for local families as a useful food resource, for service users of Banff Day Services who can develop their skills and it’s good for the environment too.
“I am particularly pleased to be able to officially launch this initiative that I know will provide the opportunity to bring people together and encourage links between local families and adults and young people with learning disabilities.
“I know the project has already received positive feedback and will go a long way to creating a sustainable project that ties in with national initiatives, and I wish the Banff Community Chicken Project every success for the future.”
The project was established in August by service users at Aberdeenshire Council’s Day Service in Banff to enable local families and young people with learning disabilities to work together and also to teach people valuable farming skills.
Service users Harry Rusling and Matt Taylor came up with the initial idea and started the project by building a coop and chicken run based in Banff Castle grounds. The project has further plans for expansion in future.
Harry Rusling of Banff Day Services is in charge of the chickens and said: “I wanted to be part of the project because I like chickens and looking after them. I think it’s a really good thing that other people in the community can learn about keeping them.”
The initiative is sustainable on a local level and is also linking nationally to Transition Network which aims to encourage towns in the UK to find methods of reducing energy use, CO2 emissions and dependence on fossil fuels through community projects.
Three families are currently involved in the project as well as a number of service users who take turns cleaning the coop with the reward of fresh eggs. In total 15 people are responsible for looking after the six chickens.
Day Care Officer Emma Afif-Watt said: “The community project has been established under the new Citizen Leadership programme at Banff Day Services that is designed to train service users to develop and lead community initiatives outwith traditional buildings-based services.
“The community chicken project allows service users to have fun collecting eggs as well as gain skills working together as a responsible group.
“The main focus of the project is about collaboration and working together collectively and the group is currently deciding how to make the project sustainable.
Norvite Animal Nutrition Company Ltd are currently sponsoring the project and providing chicken feed for the six Isa Brown chickens the group currently look after.
For any further details on the project or if you are a business keen to get involved, please email Day Care Officer Emma Afif-Watt or call 01261 818281.