Thanks for supporting and visiting VSA's Easter Anguston Farm.

If you are making a donation before, during, or after your visit we hope that you have or have had a great day and thank you for your support! 

Easter Anguston Farm (EAF) is an operational farm and local community resource which serves as a training facility for adults with learning disabilities and other additional support needs. 

The farm provides meaningful and individualised training placements for 15 adult trainees who are supported by a skilled staff team to learn and develop their knowledge and understanding of working in an agricultural and retail setting whilst gaining certified SVQ qualifications. Strong emphasis is placed on developing personal, social, vocational and land based skills that can be useful in preparing for future employment whilst also increasing their contribution to the local community.

COVID-19  has had a profound impact on our community resource side of the farm- it has simply been devasting. The farm and its associated woodland, conservation and education areas provides a vital community resource that is invaluable. As a charity we do not charge any entry fee for the community to access this resource, instead, we rely on voluntary donations to enable us to provide free access for all.

Through our free entry we open our doors to everyone, regardless of wealth or background; offering outdoor learning activities, conservation good practice and an insight into farming. EAF provides unique experiences to those that grow up in areas of deprivation across Aberdeen, sparking an early interest in the land-based sector. Education is a key pillar in which the farm is built, and we continue to invest in our educational resources. In 2019, we constructed a new educational classroom to host school groups in the hope of teaching children about where their food comes from alongside animal care.

VSA’s EAF operates many volunteer days, bringing various groups together and forging new relationships within the community. This is an excellent springboard to get local people interested and engaged with the service; teaching them about complex learning needs of our adult trainees as well as the countryside. Our volunteers have been essential during the EAF wood transformation; which connects people with disabilities to nature. This new mixed broadleaf woodland replaces conifer plantation as part of a sensory development trail for children with additional support needs, allowing them to safely explore nature through free play.

The farm is accessed by children and adults from high areas of deprivation/re-generation areas from across the city and shire. For many children, it is the first time they have ever experienced a family day out, nature, seen animals up close or had an opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and playparks that EAF can offer. We also have many sensory areas across the farm for children with additional support needs and have developed our woodland walks to incorporate disabled access; enabling children or adults with disabilities to be able to access the woodland areas and connect them with nature.

Easter Anguston is much more than a great day out- it's a lifeline to thousands of families.

Thank you for your support.