The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘Winning this overall prize will help us in so many ways’
“WE’RE still on a high after being named as overall winners,” Kerry Social Farming Project facilitator Irene Kavanagh says to The Kerryman, a week on from the project’s memorable win at the Kerry Community Awards in the Dromhall Hotel.
“We had members of the working group, host farmers, participants, and many more who’re involved sitting around the table, and there was unbelievable suspense just before they named the winners.
“It’s no wonder we all jumped and started hugging each other when our name was called out. Brendan O’Sullivan from Cahersiveen was so shocked he marched straight up and wanted to accept the award there and then! It’ll take a while for it to sink in.”
Established in 2013, Irene explains that it’s not always easy for people with disabilities to be involved with their communities but ‘social farming’ offers that very opportunity by getting participants out and helping host farmers with everyday tasks such as feeding animals, moving livestock, cleaning and fencing.
Its operations are managed by a working group of representatives which features all member parties. By the end of 2016, 27 people with disabilities participated in the project on a weekly basis across nine social farms but Irene explained that the project is constantly growing and this victory is vindication for the journey so far.
“Another three farms and two allotments are set to come on stream, so we’re well on our way to achieving our aims for 2017, which includes expanding the project to 15 host farms and allowing space for 40 participants,” she reveals.
“The prize money we received will certainly help us into the future. We currently have 28 people on a waiting list, so the win will get a lot done for us.
“We undertook a project review recently as we’re always looking to improve what we have going here. It will be launched in July and will guide us as we move into the future, so the prize will help us in that regard too.”
In a further boost for the project, Kerry Social Farming was one of three projects selected to represent Kerry in the national Pride of Place awards.
“Social farming hasn’t really taken off as of yet in Ireland but our success can provide a model for the rest of the country,” Irene says.
“The judges for the Pride of Place will be down in the next few weeks, but hopefully our involvement will highlight what we’re doing here. We’re providing much-needed opportunities.”