Southampton City Farm is run by the Christian charity Oasis. It’s a five-acre site close to the city centre and with gardens, woodland and animals has provided a space for children and adults to escape the stresses of life.
It is home to over 50 rehomed and rescued animals including goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep, rabbits and guinea pigs.
Southampton City Farm works with families, children, community groups, care homes and people with complex physical and emotional needs. It offers experiences to increase skills and boost wellbeing, by helping on the site and spending time with animals and in nature. It’s also open to businesses who want to give back to the community and volunteer their help with projects or work on the site.
Lizzie Whitbread, strategic community development lead for Oasis Southampton, said, “I think people often come here really nervous, really unsure, particularly some of the young people perhaps experiencing anxiety, who don’t like being out of the house, don’t like being in new environments or have been having trouble at school. They can come here and be in a completely different environment and try totally new things, build their confidence, find things that they are good at, they enjoy and can excel at, and have that really inclusive support around them.”
Bishop Rhiannon visited the farm to see the difference it is making in people’s lives. On her visit, she met pupils who had recently started their first year at secondary school and had come for a team building session, to get to know one another. The year 7 pupils were set challenges in the woodland area, garden and greenhouse and met the animals.
Julie Harrison, teaching assistant commented, “The children get so much out of being here. They get to meet and make new friends. It’s good for their social skills and helps build their confidence. For some of the students, they haven’t even been to a farm, so to experience this is lovely. It’s a completely different environment from the school, and they really enjoy it.”
On a wall of the farm, there is a sign with the charity’s ‘9 habits’. These include being considerate, humble, patient, joyful, hopeful and honest.
Lizzie continued, “We have nine habits at Oasis that we try and live out in all the work that we do and in all the experiences that we offer and encourage everyone that’s involved with us to do that too. They’re based on the fruits of the spirit and how Jesus lived those out. We want people to see and feel that they experience something different, where they feel really included, where they feel they can be who they are and be accepted for that. I think that’s what we want to share through that ethos.”
Southampton City Farm asked for Bishop Rhiannon’s prayers for the community and all those who visit the farm, many of whom come from difficult personal circumstances.
Bishop Rhiannon said, “I have been to a city farm before, but it’s so good to know that we have got one in Southampton and that it’s thriving. They’re doing fantastic things, particularly with schools and with vulnerable children and families. This morning, we saw the children interact with all sorts of different elements of the farm, from the garden to the animals. It’s great to see them enjoying being outside and in this sort of context in the middle of a city. They’ve got some really good values, and you can see how they’re weaving that into everything they do. I will definitely be recommending that our youth groups and other schools come and visit. It’s a chance to thank God for the beauty of creation but also to connect with a part of everyday life that’s not often seen in a city.”
Southampton City Farm is building links with churches across the city and will host the first ‘Farm Church’ service on Sunday 19th October with Maybush Church.
Lizzie added, “I think it’s good to have those connections and to link with the diocese. There’s a crossover between church, school and home in terms of growing faith, and for us, it would be good to be a space where that might happen by giving people opportunities to explore spirituality and faith in this setting too. It’s been really nice for Bishop Rhiannon to come and see what we are doing, and hopefully she will be able to share that with the people she meets across the area as well.”
