Farming

Child safety on farm a priority

Published

6 years ago

February 6, 2019

ON MAY 2017, a nine-year-old boy was seriously injured at a Devon farm. Travelling as a passenger, he had toppled off an ATV being driven by a 13-year-old. The younger boy, whose leg was badly crushed, spent weeks in hospital, needed a skin graft from his back and he underwent weeks of intensive physiotherapy. The older boy was undoubtedly traumatised too. In January this year, the farm partnership responsible for the boys’ welfare and safety were fined £28,333 and ordered to pay costs.

This shocking incident, like many others throughout Wales and the UK, could have been avoided if simple safety precautions had been taken and the law adhered to. Farms and farmyards can be hazardous places for every age group, but children are particularly at great risk if allowed to play, visit or help out around the farm unsupervised.

The Wales Farm Partnership (WFSP), a collaboration of all the key agricultural stakeholder organisations in Wales, has issued a warning to all rural families reminding them that ‘children should not be in the workplace, it is illegal for under 13s to ride on agricultural vehicles or machinery and work equipment like ATVs should not be used by children.’

The WFSP is determined to encourage farmers everywhere to reduce the risk of on-farm accidents through its ongoing hard-hitting farm safety awareness campaign. This month, its members will remind farmers and foresters everywhere that the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards, especially where children are involved.

Being struck by or run over by farm machinery or visiting vehicles is the biggest single cause of children being killed on farms. Accidents most frequently reported in the UK involve falling from tractors and ATVs or quad bikes. But danger lurks everywhere! Year after year, we hear of tragedies involving children on farms drowning or being asphyxiated; being crushed; hit by falling objects or collapsing stacks and injured by animals.

At a working farm, unsupervised children, who are naturally inquisitive and often fearless, can face risk from almost everything in sight as well as the human element – the unsuspecting family member, visitor or delivery person who drives onto the yard, unaware children are running around freely.

Brian Rees chairs the WFSP. An experienced farm safety trainer and one of Farming Connect’s approved farm safety mentors, Mr Rees is also a farmer whose three children, all now grown up, were brought up on his family’s working farm in mid Wales.

“Farmers themselves often misguidedly believe that farm children understand farm risks, but most children who die or are injured in farm incidents are family members, which tells its own undeniably sad story.”

He advises that staying up to date with best practice, knowing your legal obligations and making sure that children are supervised at all times is essential.

“The most important point is that, to meet your legal duties and keep children safe, children should not be allowed in the farm work place (and for young children they should enjoy outdoor space in a secure fenced area).

“By implementing a few straightforward safeguards and by ensuring proper supervision of children at all times, every farming family can and must reduce the risks of life-ending or life-changing accidents.”

Any access to the work area by children under 16, for example for education, or knowledge experience, should be planned and fully supervised by an adult not engaged in any work activity.
Children under the age of 13 years are specifically prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine.

“If you’ve got a computer or smartphone, you can get up to speed very easily by accessing guidance on best practice from both the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) website and also that of the Farm Safety Foundation, which works closely with the HSE and the industry throughout the UK.

“The WFSP is intent on raising awareness to reduce the number of farm incidents, but to achieve that, we need farming families to work with us, to take advantage of the guidance, training and mentoring available, much of it fully funded or subsidised by up to 80% for farmers registered with Farming Connect,” said Mr. Rees.

Eligible farmers can apply for up to 22.5 hours of fully-funded, confidential on-farm guidance from one of the approved ‘farm health and safety’ mentors, who are part of Farming Connect’s mentoring programme.

“Most farmers are aware that they sometimes take short cuts and don’t always follow the correct safety guidance, but having an expert to informally visit your farm and point out, in complete confidence, what steps you can take to minimise or eliminate risks could reduce the risk of accidents for many families.”

Business

Changes proposed at children’s care home near Haverfordwest

Published

5 days ago

April 16, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to change a mixed-use therapy centre to a children’s care home classification has been submitted to Pembrokeshire planners.

Skybound Therapies Ltd, through agent Carl Bentley Architectural Services, seeks permission for the change of use of the Skybound Care Farm & Therapy Centre, Campbell Farm, Wiston, near Haverfordwest.

A supporting statement says: “Situated in a discrete rural setting in Pembrokeshire, the Therapy Centre is at the heart of a family-owned Care Farm. It is a working beef and forestry farm, providing a unique and tranquil environment for their services,” adding: “Skybound Care Farm offers a variety of services for both children and young adults. From young adult day opportunities to week-long intensive programmes. The forestry fields provide an ideal setting for practicing walks. Visitors can interact with animals, learn about water safety near their ponds, and immerse themselves in the peaceful beauty of the working farm. Vegetable growing and harvesting is a recent addition to the Care Farm.

“Skybound welcome clients from the local area as well as those travelling from all over the UK and abroad. There is a variety of accommodation types close to the farm and centre, including a holiday village, caravan parks, holiday cottages and log cabins. Many clients like to combine visits to the care farm / therapy centre with exploring local beaches, amenities and attractions.

“The Care Farm HQ and Therapy Centre are in Southwest Wales, but they also cover many locations across the UK, including Cardiff, Newport, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Yorkshire and Norfolk. Skybound are taking on new locations all of the time.”

It says the original Therapy Centre which was constructed in 2012/13 when it “began its journey as a leading national and international therapy centre providing behaviour analysis, positive behaviour support, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy for children and young adults with special needs and behavioural issues”.

In August 2022 planning permission was granted to extend the therapy centre, completed in 2024; the business currently employs 45 staff on a full time and part time basis, a small number of staff are located at the Care Farm & Therapy Centre and at other locations across Wales and the UK.

“Whilst the centre has been running since February 2024 the applicant and business has found that the use of the centre is changing from previously planned and consented usage,” the statement says.

It says that since then discussions have taken place with council planners to clarify the centre’s current planning use class, along with “other opportunities and ideas for the expansion of the business and services to potentially use other existing buildings at the site are currently being investigated, which will no doubt take further time to consider”.

“There is a long-term plan to expand the Care Farm & Therapy Centre activities within the whole of the site and this full planning application is the third stage of the plan. The long-term plan is to provide more ‘settings’ to provide more training, utilising more of the farm setting for example with further interactions with small farm animals and to perhaps house some therapy sessions within other existing farm buildings to provide different types of training settings.”

Late last year, the site was granted permission to extend staff facilities through a temporary building.

The current application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Farming

Applications open for £1,000 Pembrokeshire agricultural bursary

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

STUDENTS in Pembrokeshire with a passion for agriculture or related fields are being invited to apply for a £1,000 bursary to support their further education or career development.

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s Student Bursary Award is now open to applicants currently studying—or about to begin studying—agriculture, veterinary science, agricultural engineering, food technology, forestry, or other related subjects.

Last year’s winner was Catrin Palferey from Llanfyrnach, who began her studies at Aberystwyth University in autumn 2024.

Mansel Raymond, Chairman of the Society’s Bursary Committee, said: “I would urge all Pembrokeshire students who are pursuing subjects clearly aligned with agriculture to apply. This bursary will not only support your studies but will also give you valuable experiences—such as taking part in an interview, which is a key employment skill. It could make a real difference to your future career in the agricultural sector.”

Applicants will be shortlisted by an independent judge, with finalists invited to attend an interview. The winning student will also be asked to give a short presentation at a future meeting of the Society’s Show Council.

Mr Raymond added: “The standard of applications is always exceptional, and it’s heartening to see so many talented young people in our community. We are really looking forward to hearing from this year’s applicants.”

To be eligible, students must not have previously won the bursary. Applicants must either be currently studying, or have been accepted to study, a relevant subject at A-level or higher at a UK college or university. They must also have their family home in Pembrokeshire.

The bursary is tax-free and will be awarded to the student who submits the best-written dissertation explaining how the funding will help them complete their course.

The closing date for applications is 12:00pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.

Further information and application forms are available at:
pembsshow.org/at-the-show/student-bursary-award/

Pictured:

The 2023 Pembrokeshire County Show bursary winner Lottie Wilson receiving her £1,000 prize from Robert James (Image: PAS)

Farming

Pembrokeshire Show elects first joint presidents

Published

6 days ago

April 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DAIRY FARMERS TIM AND MARGARET JOHNS HONOURED BY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

HAVERFORDWEST dairy farmers Tim and Margaret Johns have been unanimously elected as the first joint Presidents of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

The couple, who farm at Pencnwc in partnership with their son Graham, represent the third generation of their family to work the land. Their 550-acre holding in Castlemorris includes dairy cattle and the cultivation of both winter and spring cereals.

Margaret and Tim have a long-standing association with the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society and the County Show. Margaret, in particular, has achieved considerable success in equestrian showing at events including Royal Windsor, the Great Yorkshire Show, and the Royal Cornwall Show. She also founded and continues to run Castlemorris Equestrian and Pet Supplies from the farm.

Speaking following their appointment, Tim said: “Margaret and I work as a partnership. The County Show is a major part of Pembrokeshire and is an integral part of farming in the county. We are looking forward to the year ahead. We have chosen RABI and the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society as our charities to support over the next 12 months.”

During the Society’s Annual General Meeting, held recently at the Pembrokeshire Showground, Mr and Mrs James Evans were voted in as Presidents Elect.

Other appointments for 2025 include Miss Alys Owens, who was named as the Society’s Ambassador. Alys, who lives in Haverfordwest and works for Castell Howell, is an active member of Llysyfran YFC. She served as Club Secretary last year, a role for which she was named Club Secretary of the Year at County level. A talented musician, Alys plays the cornet with Goodwick Brass Band.

Outgoing President Adam Thorne used the occasion to thank all those who had supported him during his term in office.