Innage Lane and Oak Farm move on to pastures new
Shropshire Council and Bethphage are pleased to announce the transfer of day services at Innage Lane, Bridgnorth and Oak Farm, Ditton Priors from the council to Bethphage.
The agreement, for an initial period of seven years, was signed last week and completes a process agreed by Shropshire Council’s Cabinet on 13 July 2016.
Oak Farm is well established and integrated within the local community, and is a supplier of farm produce, plants and preserves from the on-site farm shop and at the local agricultural show. Oak Farm provides opportunities for people to explore new experiences and learn new skills. The farm currently supports 47 adults with learning disabilities, who are supported by 12 members of staff.
The farm provides training and work experience in horticulture and agriculture for people who may move on to permanent employment, and supportive placement for others who, because of their disability, are unlikely to seek mainstream work. People attending the farm learn husbandry techniques while working with pigs, sheep, cattle and the flock of free-range hens.
Innage Lane offers a day service for 20 adults with a learning disability, supported by nine staff, and has a strong emphasis on producing high-quality craft products which are sold locally. The centre provides opportunities for people to access a wide range activities both within the day centre and the local community.
Both sites currently operate five days a week to develop daily living skills, promote independence and involvement in community activities.
Bethphage is a Shropshire-based not-for-profit organisation which has been supporting adults with a learning disability throughout the county and in surrounding areas for 22 years.
The services will continue to be known as Oak Farm and Innage Lane, but council branding will be replaced with Bethphage’s on the sites and on all literature.
Peter Loose, Chief Executive of Bethphage, said:
“We are excited by the opportunities at Innage Lane and Oak Farm to promote our vision of inclusive communities where all people have the opportunity to live the life they choose. Shropshire Council have developed two excellent facilities and we are grateful for the hard work and sincerity they have put into negotiating a responsible agreement. We are delighted to welcome the people supported on both sites and the two staff teams into the Bethphage family.”
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adults, added:-
“Both Oak Farm and Innage Lane are very much a valued service for people with learning disabilities and play a key role in supporting the local community.
“I am really pleased that Bethphage, who were clearly the preferred bidder, has taken on these services. The great news is that the new arrangements will enable services to continue in both locations, providing the same support to all the people who attend, with all the same staff.”
Since the date of the Cabinet approval, officers of the council and managers from Bethphage have met with the people supported on both sites, members of their families and representatives of the friends associations, all the staff and the Ditton Priors Community Land Trust, to explain the aims of the agreement and listen to people’s hopes for the future.
The staff become employees of Bethphage retaining their terms and conditions of employment through a TUPE transfer. Ditton Priors Community Land Trust who own the Oak Farm site have approved assignment of the Oak Farm lease to Bethphage, and Shropshire Council will also grant a lease on the Innage Lane building which they own. Bethphage will manage and develop the services to meet current and future expectations.
For further information about the services or transfer agreement please contact Bethphage, 8 Longbow Close, Shrewsbury, SY1 3GZ, tel: 01743 272880.
