Farm created to provide jobs for autistic people

Farm manager Dave Wilde will help to transform the land

Acres of County Durham countryside are being transformed into a working farm that will provide "vital" jobs for autistic people.

The 77-acre (31-hectare) site will feature an ethical farm, shops, cafe and cider-making plant, staffed by up to 60 people with autism.

Fewer than three in 10 autistic people are in work in the UK, according to the North East Autism Society (NEAS).

The charity's £5.5m New Warlands Farm project aims to address that employment gap.

'Meaningful'

NEAS bought the farm in 2010 and built a vocational training centre for autistic adults there.

It was granted planning permission to create a visitor attraction and working farm at the site last year, and has now appointed farmer Dave Wilde to start transforming the land.

He will be helped by five trainees, who are due to start work in the next couple of months.

Mr Wilde is rebuilding fences and hedgerows and creating a wildflower hay meadow. He plans to bring in 28 pregnant ewes, cattle, goats and large black pigs.

Mr Wilde said: "There's so much work to do on any farm, never mind one you're starting from scratch.

"The main thing is getting autistic adults learning about farming and agriculture, and moving towards meaningful employment."

The farm is less than seven miles away from Durham City, in Burnhope

The farm will eventually become a "wildlife haven" with accessible walks, wetlands, meadows, forests and a rare breed farm park.

NEAS CEO John Phillipson said: "New Warlands Farm will be a fantastic place for families to visit, where they know they will be accepted.

"But the main thing that makes it special is the fact that we can train, employ and support 60 autistic and neurodivergent people a year."