Pair turn farm park dream into reality at college

A PAIR of animal loving young entrepreneurs have opened the gates to a new educational farm park near Bridgend.

Geraint Robson and Caitlyn Corless, from Cardiff, founded Ddraig Valley Farm Park in Pencoed, an animal centre designed to allow the public to get close to and learn more about different species.

After finishing their studies in environmental management and animal studies at Bridgend College’s Pencoed campus, the pair set up Ddraig Valley Farm at the college campus.

The farm is home to traditional animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, donkeys and geese, as well as tortoises, iguanas, terrapins, quails and alpacas.

The venue also houses an aviary, which is home to diamond doves, java sparrows and canaries, as well as accommodating rabbits and guinea pigs.

Geraint and Caitlyn are keen to make education a key element of every visit to the farm.

Caitlyn said: “We wanted to set up Ddraig Valley Farm Park because we were passionate about creating somewhere for families in South Wales and beyond to experience animals up close in an environment that is safe, friendly and knowledgeable.”

While Caitlyn tends to the farming side of the business, putting her diploma in animal studies to good use, Geraint, who studied environmental management, runs tours of the farm park.

Geraint and Caitlyn attribute much of their success to the advice they have received along the way from Big Ideas Wales and Bridgend College’s enterprise team, specifically enterprise champion Ruth Rowe, who has worked with them in achieving their ambition.

Geraint said: “We could not have got to this point without the amount of guidance we have had over the last four years. At our first Big Ideas Wales Bootcamp event in 2014, we received intensive support over the course of a weekend and were able to meet like-minded young entrepreneurs.

“From there, we’ve been lucky enough to have the constant backing and encouragement of individuals like Ruth, who has been with us every step of the way since.”

Geraint and Caitlyn impressed Ruth at the Carnegie Trust Test Town event in Bridgend, where young entrepreneurs got to put their trading skills to the test.

After winning the competition, Geraint and Caitlyn signed the lease on the farmland owned by Bridgend College and saw their dreams turned into a reality.

Ruth said: “Caitlyn and Geraint have seized every opportunity available to them and their hard work has really paid off now they’ve opened the gates of Ddraig Valley Farm to the public.

“They’ve shown great determination and tenacity throughout and I hope their business continues to grow in the future.”

And despite only opening the gates to the farm park within the past month, the pair already have expansion plans in their sights and are hoping to increase the range of animals they home and the size of the farm site.

Caitlyn and Geraint received guidance and support from Big Ideas Wales, which forms part of the Welsh Government’s Business Wales Service, and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Their links with the support service resulted in award success for the couple, with their venture winning Overall Best Business at Big Ideas Celebrated which took place at Cardiff City Stadium recently to honour achievements in youth entrepreneurship.