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Ouseburn Farm's vision to become major tourist attraction

The person responsible for turning an inner-city farm into a major visitor attraction and education centre in the North East is confident that the charity will grow even more in the coming months.

Business farm manager, Andrea Haynes has worked at Ouseburn Farm in the Lower Ouseburn Valley, Byker for the last three years and has a highly impressive CV to back this up.

Initially starting her career as a stage and production manager in London, she moved back to her native North East after spending six years in the capital by setting up her own theatre school. Based in Shiney Row, Penshaw, she opened the Shiney Street Theatre School for children delivering drama and acting back in the 80’s. Delivering classes during evenings and weekends from community centres and church halls, the company became a feeder for providing main casting rolls and extra’s for popular TV series’ Byker Grove.

She supplemented her work with university lecturing in performing arts as well as running a successful bathroom company in Washington, Tyne and Wear. Always passionate about working with people, she applied for the farm manager’s vacancy at Ouseburn Farm and has never looked back.

“Throughout my working career, I’ve always had jobs where you needed to develop businesses and be commercially focussed. I have a passion for and been inspired to help people which is exactly what Ouseburn Farm’s ethos is all about”, said Andrea. “Of course it is important to generate money for the charity, which is what my job is, but money that is raised will benefit more people.”

In addition to the array of animals, gardens, orchard and onsite café serving coffee and fresh food which has been produced directly from the farm, Ouseburn Farm also offers educational classrooms and workshops for vulnerable adults or adults who may be chronically excluded.

Woodwork, carpentry, upcycling, catering, creative arts, livestock and horticulture workshops provide an educational route or work experience to vulnerable adults teaching them essential skills and provides placements for the homeless and adults with learning difficulties and mental health problems.

Andrea continued, “Our vision is to create Ouseburn Farm as a major visitor attraction, one that provides first class educational and training facilities, alongside an appealing food offering. The farm is a place for growing – it’s about growing people and communities. We already attract over 50,000 visitors per year and by creating a strong brand identity and having a more strategic and commercial mindset, we are confident we can grow this over time.”

And grow it will, now that creative marketing and communications agency, Drummond Central has stepped in to part-fund some of the farms’ annual deficit for the next three years. Earlier this year, the farm’s future was in doubt when its major contributor of eight years, Tyne Housing Association announced it was unable to continue to fund the farms £100,000 per year deficit post April 2017. The impact of financial and policy changes required by Government has encouraged all housing providers such as Tyne Housing Association to review their business operations and identify further efficiencies.

The news was disappointing not only for staff and volunteers but for visitors and local people who are proud of the farm and its heritage. Andrea commented, “In all honesty, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to the farm. We knew the situation would happen and we were worried about our jobs but we were also confident a solution would be found. We wouldn’t be what we are today without Tyne Housing Association who have been there to support us over the last eight years and we will continue to work with them by giving their clients access to workshops, which in turn will provide them with the skills and qualifications they need to move on with their lives. We are still part of the Tyne Housing Group and we anticipate this will continue for many years to come.

“Standing on our own two feet also means being more accountable but we can become more sustainable, more aware of expenditure and create commercial streams to generate much needed income for the farm. We need to think more like a business, become more commercial and strategic but still focus on our charitable objectives - it’s all about having a commercial head and social heart.

“The financial and practical support from Drummond Central has been brilliant and very welcomed by all of the team but we’re still not quite there yet. We still need to find additional funding to secure the farm’s long-term future.”

In addition to financial support, Drummond Central are also offering marketing support in kind, which will include a revamp of the farm’s literature, signage and overall image.

Footfall at the farm has already increased dramatically since the café moved to the front of the farm entrance and Andrea said there are plenty of opportunities to grow further and they are ready and excited to take the leap into development and expansion.

The farm, which is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, has educational classrooms based on site and workshops located nearby. Students learn practical woodwork and repair and creative up-cycling of furniture which is then sold on to the public at the Ouseburn Farm shop on Heaton Park Road in Byker while the training kitchen, based at Wilfred Street, teaches people basic cooking skills, cake making, decorating and creative cooking.

A 30-foot timber-frame Protohome was recently moved onsite and will be used as an outdoor teaching space for visiting schools, groups, volunteers and adult learners over the Spring and Summer.

Andrea said: “You can see we are more than just a farm with animals and a cafe, we have so much to offer visitors, local people and communities and schools – it comes back to our vision about wanting to grow ourselves as a business but also people and local communities. Wouldn’t it be great if we could expand the brand into other areas across the region? Why not? Why couldn’t we have an Ouseburn Farm shop selling upcycled furniture that has been restored and recycled in the workshops and selling homemade cakes, pastries and preserves that have been produced here at the farm at a shop in Gateshead or Morpeth?

“We are also looking into the possibility of offering more workshops such as forest school workshops and working and engaging with a wide range of people and client groups right across the region. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing people grow, gaining the necessary skills and confidence to move on in their lives and if Ouseburn Farm can play a big part in delivering that then it’s got to be worthwhile. These are exciting times not only for Ouseburn Farm but for our staff, volunteers and the local community. This is their farm – they should be very proud of it.”

Ouseburn Farm is free to enter and open 363 days a year (closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day). The farm is currently run by six full-time staff, two part-time staff and up to 20 volunteers. During term-time, the farm provides heritage, farm-based and environmental education for over 4,000 school children and students. The workshops help agricultural, horticultural and environmental skills of vulnerable adults, volunteers and members of the public through the livestock, growing and environmental projects based at the farm. School holidays are always full of free children’s activities and workshops.

For more information, please call 0191 232 3698 or visit www.ouseburnfarm.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Up North Communications .