Chicken Run farm shop attracts donors

Students at Oaklands College are not concerned whether the chicken or the egg came first. Both are equally important and play a vital role in their education and future development, all thanks to an Orchid Group-sponsored scheme.

Oaklands College Chicken Run farm shop was set up to help students with moderate learning difficulties. The scheme enables them to enjoy enhanced learning and gain some hands-on experience. Students run a farm shop, selling eggs, from chickens they care for, and vegetables which they cultivate themselves.

Through this, they improve their interpersonal skills, confidence and gain first-hand knowledge of running a business. It adds to their classroom learning and helps give something back to the local community.

Local pub and restaurant operator the Orchid Group is sponsoring the scheme as part of its commitment to the local community, making an initial investment of £1,000. This will allow the students to buy more chickens which will more than double productivity.  Orchid is also designing the logo and promotional literature to help spread the word about the pupils’ efforts.

Mark Dawe, Principal and Chief Executive of Oaklands College, comments “Getting Orchid involved in this valuable project not only benefits the pupils and staff but helps to encourage links between Oaklands College and the local community. The Chicken Run Farmshop has been extremely effective in motivating and encouraging our pupils to learn skills that will help to prepare them for the future. The pupils’ dedication and enthusiasm is such that they even turn up on weekends to look after the chickens! We are very grateful to Orchid for all of their help.”  

For more information visit the Chicken Run page on facebook

Email: chickenrunfarmshop@oaklands.ac.uk