Oak Tree Farm Rural Project

Who we are

Oak Tree Farm provides a supportive environment where people with learning disabilities, our Team Members, gain practical work experience and instruction in catering, farming, horticulture and pottery.

Oak Tree Farm is a fifteen acre smallholding in an attractive rural setting near the village of Hilderstone.  Our buildings are set well back from the road, grouped round the old farm cottage. We have a growing field and an attractive cottage garden with flowers, fruit and vegetables. More plants, vegetables and cut flowers are grown in the nursery beds and in a range of greenhouses and polytunnels. There is a fully equipped pottery, craft and work rooms, and a tea room and shop to cater for visitors.

The farm has beef cattle, poultry, a pet goat, cage birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and a tortoise. We grow plants and flowers for bedding, baskets, cutting and drying. We make hanging baskets and Christmas wreaths.  In the pottery we make hand built, thrown and occasionally slip wares, with design, decorating, fettling and firing all performed on site.  The ‘Oak Leaf Tea Room’ is open six days a week for morning coffee and lunch.  It uses locally sourced ingredients, much of the salad and vegetables used are grown by the Team Members on site. The tea room is noted for its delicious cake!

We run activities away from the farm including Acorn Garden Services, providing gardening serices in domestic gardens as well as maintaining planters for local villages and churches.  Our Team Members also volunteer at Sandon Hall, working with the gardeners there to maintain and develop their gardens. 

People attend the project on a part time basis to fit in with their other commitments. They are helped to build on their social and life skills with reviews to agree personal targets and assess progress. Team Members are involved in virtually every activity of the project including the Health and Safety Committee, the staff interview panel and writing thank you letters to donors. All our activities are run by experienced, dedicated, trained staff with support from committed volunteers.  This voluntary work was recognised in 2014 when the charity received the Queens Award for Voluntary Service.

Our culture and values

Oak Tree Farm prides itelf on being a high quality, caring and supportive environment for Team Members, staff, volunteers, customers and visitors.  We prioritise the needs of Team Members in every decision that is taken on the farm and we value the views, opinions and choices of our Team Members in the same way that we value those of others on the farm.  Staff and volunteers work in a mutually supportive way and work together as a team to deliver an enjoyable, productive and meaningful experience for every Team Member, meeting needs and anticipating challenges.  There is an expectation that staff are able to be flexible and responsive to the needs of Team Members as well as to the running and maintenance of a safe working environment on the farm.  

Oak Tree Farm recognises that the health and wellbeing of our staff is important and is committed to providing staff with a safe, healthy and supportive environment in which to work.  We are committed to providing a supportive workplace culture where healthy lifestyle choices are valued and encouraged.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

It is our policy to provide employment equality, fairness and respect to all, irrespective of:
 

• Gender, including gender reassignment
• Marital or civil partnership status
• Having or not having dependants
• Religious belief or political opinion
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins)
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Pregnancy and maternity.

We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.  All job applicants, employees and others who work for us will be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against on any of the above grounds.  Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without unlawful discrimination.

We recognise that the provision of equal opportunities in the workplace is not only good management practice, it also makes sound business sense.  Our equal opportunities policy will help all those who work for us to develop their full potential and the talents, and resources of the workforce will be utilised fully to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.