Kentish Express Ashford & District
Young farmers produce harvest of seasonal joy
Young farmers delivered dozens of Christmas hampers to the elderly in a bid to break through isolation and loneliness.
The Ashford Young Farmers’ Group teamed up with staff at Perry Court Farm, near Wye, to put smiles on people’s faces.
They picked a selection of seasonal foodstuffs from the farm before decorating the hampers and delivering them to nominated elderly people around the town earlier this month.
Club chairman Ben Gray said the group put together 20 hampers, adding: “Christmas is all about giving. This can be a difficult and lonely time of the year for the elderly people we donated hampers to, but our deliveries gave them some Christmas joy and many were grateful for having someone to talk to.
“There is a lot more to young farmers than just learning new skills and taking part in competitions. We make sure we give back to the community and support other charities.
“We are extremely appreciative of the help we received from Perry Court Farm. I would especially like to thank Heidi Fermor, who made sure our hampers were generously filled with the very best produce.”
According to research by charity Age UK, 1.2 million elderly folk could be lonely or on their own this Christmas. The charity has appealed for donations and for volunteers to call in to the elderly, so that no one has to be on their own.
To find out more visit www. ageuk.org.uk
Ashford Young Farmers’ Club meets on Wednesday evenings and is open to anyone between the age of 16 and 26. For more information visit www. ashfordyfc.co.uk