Yahoo News Watch Pam the pig have breakfast this Saturday, via Bath City Farm's live stream
Bath City Farm may have had to close its gates to visitors, but the animals still need to be fed – and the good news is that we can now watch all of the lovely farm residents enjoying their breakfast from the comfort of our own homes.
Every Saturday at 11am, follow a virtual tour of feeding time at the charity farm on the Bath City Farm Facebook page.
The route takes in the hens (Hetty, Dot, Dash, Josie, Freckles, Sylvia, Boogie and, everyone’s favourite, Wingco, the one-winged cockerel) before moving on to the ducks, and rabbits, Thumper and Pumpkin.
Then it’s time to feed Pam the pig (who is due to have piglets any day!), Shetland ponies Dougie and Dougal, and the always-hungry goats.
Children can help check how many eggs the ducks have laid, or whether they can spot any tadpoles in the pond.
There is also the opportunity to post questions about the animals as the arrival of spring sees the birds build their nests and the trees and hedgerows come to life.
“We know that the animals mean so much to our visitors and we wanted to give everyone the chance to see how they are doing,” says Helen Fisher, Farm Manager.
“This weekly Facebook Live is a great way to keep in touch with your favourites, whether that's the goats or pigs, and have a unique insight into the life of the farm.”
A farm at the heart of the community
Bath City Farm is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
It was set up by local people, who campaigned to save this special 37-acre plot overlooking the city and establish a city farm back in 1995.
As well as a popular place to visit for families, the farm provides a number of education, training and therapeutic activities to support people in the local community.
These include Feathered Friends, where people living with dementia can enjoy the relaxing qualities of holding hens; animal care activities for adults with learning disabilities; and a conservation group that aims to improve mental wellbeing through scything and hedgelaying.
Keeping in touch
For many of the farm’s volunteers, being at the farm may be the only time they spend with other people.
So, during the current lockdown, staff are regularly phoning to check in on their volunteer team, making sure that they are keeping well at home.
Lunchtimes are a particularly important part of life on the farm, with volunteers eating together and spending time catching up.
It can often be the only cooked meal they have in a week, so farm staff have been cooking, packing and delivering food to help people in the local community – so far more than 250 portions have been made.
“A core part of what we do at the farm is help nourish people and allow them to grow in confidence,” says Helen.
“At this difficult time for many we want to do our bit to help our community of volunteers.”
To help support the work of the Farm you can donate via localgiving.org/donation/bathcityfarm. All the money donated will help feed the animals and support work in the local community.
The information in this story is accurate as of the publication date. While we are attempting to keep our content as up-to-date as possible, the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continues to develop rapidly, so it's possible that some information and recommendations may have changed since publishing. For any concerns and latest advice, visit the World Health Organisation. If you're in the UK, the National Health Service can also provide useful information and support, while US users can contact the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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