Disability: Community raising money for skills hub for disabled people

Gwen Evans visits the farm every Wednesday and Friday

A farm dedicated to providing a home and community hub for people with disabilities and mental health issues for 30 years is to be sold.

Clynfyw Care Farm in Pembrokeshire is home to 10 people living in supported accommodation.

The farm is also open to day visitors who do gardening, cooking, and crafts.

The Lewis-Bowen family have owned the farm since the 1750s and are ready to sell, but want to secure it as a community hub.

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Hywel Davies, 59, has lived at the farm for 10 years and said: "It's a good place to live.

"I do lots of work here. I cut the grass, I take out the rubbish and make charcoal."He said he also enjoys making apple juice on the farm and sold 11,000 bottles last year. 

Gwen Evans, 25, visits the farm on Wednesdays and Fridays and said helping prepare lunch has been "building [her] confidence and independence".

Gillian Howells visits the hub on Wednesdays and Fridays and loves the craft sessions

Gillian Howells, 60, visits twice a week and said: "I enjoy making candles with my friends." The owners are keen to keep the farm within the community and secure its future as providing care and support opportunities.  To achieve their vision, they need to raise £550,000 through a community share offer.

Leon Phillips and Hywel Davies both work at the farm and label the apple juice

Manager Jim Bowen said: "We've raised about 10% so far from local friends and contacts. "The share offer finishes at Welsh New Year, the 13th of January, and that will be the new start hopefully for the farm."

Although he is positive about the future, he said he understands times are hard and the community share offer is vital. "I've been worried about that for years," he said.

"What happens when I pass away or when my family is no longer here? "Nobody knows what's coming, but we've seen with Covid, and we've seen with the climate crisis, the future is immensely challenging.

"In a tiny way, this is a way that we can contribute."Mr Bowen said he hopes people "throughout Wales will be willing to get involved and help support it, and make it work." The community share offer opened on the 18 September and has been extended from October until January 2024.